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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


I 

•  ' 

• . 

a    • 

- 


'        : 


m 

: 


LIFE   OF  EGBERT   NAPIER 


LIFE 


OF 


KOBEBT    NAPIEE 

OF  WEST  SHANDON 

CHEVALIER   OF   THE   LEGION   OF   HONOUR  ; 

KNIGHT  COMMANDER   OF   THE   ORDER   OF   THE   DANNEBROG  ; 
PRESIDENT   OF  THE   MECHANICAL   ENGINEERS 


BY 


JAMES   NAPIEE,   M.A.,   F.R.S.E.,  &c. 


WILLIAM    BLACKWOOD    AND     SONS 

EDINBURGH     AND     LONDON 

MCMI  V 


All  Rights  reserved 


PREFACE. 


tf. 

fc 


IT   is    often    said    that    the    Clyde    made 

C 

Glasgow,  and  the  object  of  this  volume  is 

m 

to  relate  in  some  detail  the  life  of  one  who, 
M      by  his  energy  and  perseverance,  caused  the 
Clyde  to  become   the   most   famous    ship- 
building centre  in  the  world,  and  thereby 

contributed    most    materially   to    building 
2: 

up  the   fabric  of  what  is  now  called  the 

«c 

second  city  in  the  Empire. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEE    I. 

EARLY  DAYS. 

PAGE 

Dumbarton  —  Parentage  —  Birth — School-days  — Ap- 
prenticeship— Works  as  a  journeyman — Starts  in 
Glasgow — Joins  Hammermen — Marriage  .  .  1 

CHAPTEE    II. 

DAVID   NAPIER. 

Birth — Eemoves  to  Glasgow — The  Comet — Camlachie 
Foundry — Starts  Belfast  trade — Purchases  Lance- 
field — Goes  to  London — Inventions — Later  years  18 

CHAPTEE    III. 

CAMLACHIE. 

Leases  Camlachie  Foundry — Engages  David  Elder — 
Order  for  Leven's  engine — Success — Builds  Belfast 
steamers  —  Meets  Maudslay — Wins  Yacht  Club 
race — Acquires  Vulcan  Foundry.  .  .  .  29 


viii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE    IV. 

ASSHETON   SMITH. 

Retires  from  Royal  Yacht  Squadron — Sends  for  Napier 
— Orders  Menai — Builds  Fire  King — Speed  of  Fire 
Queen  —  Dislikes  screw  yacht  —  Intimacy  with 
Napier  ........  39 

CHAPTER    V. 

VULCAN  FOUNDRY. 

Equips  Vulcan  Foundry — Founds  Steam- Packet  Com- 
panies— Contracts  for  Dundee  and  Perth — Their 
great  success — Letter  to  Mr  Duncan — Introduc- 
tion to  East  India  Company — Builds  Berenice — 
Voyage  to  India — Beats  Atalanta — Intimacy  with 
Mr  Melvill  48 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ADMIRALTY. 

Introduction  to  Admiralty — Tender  for  Vesuvius  and 
Stromboli — Captain  Ommanney's  report — Hostility 
to  Scotch  engines — Parliamentary  return — Result 
— Letter  on  Boiler  question  .  .  .  .  69 


CONTENTS.  ix 

CHAPTEE    VII. 

LANCEFlfcLD   HOUSE. 

Acquisition  of  Lancefield — Defeats  Clyde  Trustees — 
James  Napier — John  Wood — Founding  of  John 
Keid  &  Co.  —  Connection  with  Muirkirk  Iron 
Works — Letter  from  Lord  George  Bentinck  .  82 


CHAPTEE   VIII. 

ATLANTIC    NAVIGATION. 

Early  attempts — Letter  to  Mr  Patrick  Wallace — Pro- 
posal falls  through  —  Inception  of  British  and 
American  Company  —  Engines  British  Queen — 
Kesults — Failure  of  Company  .  .  .  .100 


CHAPTEE     IX. 

CUNARD   COMPANY. 

Cunard's  early  history — Consults  Mr  Melvill — Negotia- 
tions with  Napier — First  contract  signed — Corre- 
spondence with  Napier  —  Difficulties  —  Napier 
supports  enterprise — Offers  Burns  agency — Success 
— First  shareholders — Intimacy  with  Cunard  .  121 


x  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 

IEON    SHIPBUILDING. 

Acquires  ground  at  Govan — Appointment  of  William 
Denny  —  Starts  iron  shipbuilding  —  First  iron 
steamer  for  Admiralty — Simoom — Intimacy  with 
naval  officers — Family  relationships  .  .  .  148 

CHAPTER    XL 

WEST   SHANDON. 

First  cottage — Enlargement — Disappearance — Present 
mansion — Professor  Kerr's  criticism — Collection — 
Hospitality — Letter  from  Marquis  of  Dalhousie  and 
others — Erection  of  Row  church  and  statue  to 
Henry  Bell 166 

CHAPTER    XII. 

ROBEET    NAPIER    &    SONS. 

Future  plans — Santiago  difficulty — John  Elder's  de- 
parture— Napier  and  Elder  firms — Crimean  War 
— Persia — Erebus — Retiral  of  James  R.  Napier — 
Western  Bank — Cathedral  —  University  —  Letter 
from  Melvill  182 


CONTENTS.  xi 

CHAPTEK    XIII. 

IRONCLADS. 

Admiralty  orders  Black  Prince — Parkhead  Forge — 
Rolf  Krake — Turkish  frigates — Neptune — Scotia 
— Cape  mail  -  steamers — Queen  of  the  Thames — 
Practical  retiral — "  Measured  mile  " — Last  public 
appearance — Hospitality — Honours  .  .  .  208 

CHAPTEK    XIV. 

CLOSING  YEARS. 

Golden  wedding — Congratulations — Loss  of  friends — 
Death  of  Mrs  Napier  —  His  illness  —  Death — 
Funeral 234 

CHAPTEK    XV. 

AN  INSPIRING  MEMORY    .         .         .         .         .         .241 

APPENDIX — 

I.  Copy  of  original  contract  for  first  Cunard  steamers, 

18th  March  1839 251 

II.  Particulars  of  some  of  the  leading  contracts  ex- 
ecuted by  Mr  Napier    .          .         .         .         .259 

INDEX  263 


ILLUSTKATIONS. 


ROBERT  NAPIER      . 
DAVID   NAPIER 
ROBERT  NAPIER      . 
ENGINE   OF  LEVEN 
CLARENCE     . 
FIRE  QUEEN 
ROBERT  NAPIER     . 
VULCAN 
DUNDEE 

CITY  OP  GLASGOW 
ISABELLA   NAPIER 
BERENICE      . 
LANCEFIELD  DOCK 
JAMES  NAPIER 
R.M.S.  EUROPA 
BRITISH  QUEEN     . 
ROBERT  NAPIER      . 
LANCEFIELD  HOUSE 
R.M.S.  AC  ADI  A 
R.M.S.  PRECURSOR  . 


PAQH 

Frontispiece 
20 

30 
32 


.     Photogravure 
.     Bust  by  Noble 

By  A.  Broiim,  about  1830    . 

.     Napier's  first  marine  engine 

.    Winner  of  Northern  Yacht  Club  Cup  36 

.      Yacht           ...  44 

Londonderry  Company          .  48 

.     City  of  Glasgow  Company    .  50 

Dundee,  Perth,  &  London  Company  54 

.     City  of  Glasgow  Company     .  56 

.     Londonderry  Company        .  60 

.     Hon.  East  India  Company  .  64 

.     About  1850  ...  84 

Photogravure            .            .  90 

.     Cunard  Company     .             .  94 

British  and  American  Company  116 

By  Sir  J.  Graham  Gilbert,  R.S.A.,1815  122 
.     About  1840  .             .            .128 

.     Cunard  Company     .             .  144 

.     P.  and  0.  Company             .  148 


xiv  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

THETIS  ....     Belfast  Steamer 

H.M.S.  HOTSPUR      .  .  .     Admiralty    . 

WEST  SHANDON      .  .  .     About  1865  . 

PLAN   OF  WEST  SHANDON 

H.M.S.   DUKE   OF    WELLINGTON    Admiralty    . 

R.M.S.  PERSIA  .  .  .     Cunard  Company     . 

R.M.S.  PERSIA,  SECTION  .  „  .  . 

H.M.S.  EREBUS         .  .  .     Admiralty    . 

H.M.S.  BLACK  PRINCE     ..„*... 

H.M.S.  AUDACIOUS  ....... 

OSMAN  GHAZY       .  .  .     Turkish  Government 

NEPTUNE      ....     River  Steamer 

R.M.S.  SCOTIA           .            .            .     Cunard  Company    . 
H.M.S.  MALABAR     .             .             .     Indian  Government . 
R.M.S.  BALMORAL  CASTLE           .     Castle  Mail  Company 
QUEEN  OF  THE  THAMES            .     Australian  Liner     . 
H.M.S.  NORTHAMPTON     .            .     Admiralty    . 
THE     FOUR     PRESIDENTS     OF    THE     MECHANICAL    EN- 
GINEERS  232 

MRS  NAPIER  By  Sir  George  Harvey,  P.R.S.A.        236 


LIFE   OF   EOBEET   NAPIEK. 


CHAPTER    I. 

EARLY  DAYS. 

DUMBARTON PARENTAGE  —  BIRTH SCHOOL-DAYS  —  APPRENTICE- 
SHIP— WORKS    AS    A    JOURNEYMAN STARTS    IN     GLASGOW 

JOINS    HAMMERMEN — MARRIAGE. 

DUMBARTON  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in 
Scotland,  able  to  boast  of  authentic  history 
for  nearly  fifteen  hundred  years.  It  was 
constituted  a  Free  Royal  Burgh  by  Alex- 
ander II.  in  1222,  and  received  fresh  charters 
from  his  successors,  which  were  confirmed 
by  James  VI.  shortly  after  the  union  of 
the  kingdoms.  This  historic  town  was  the 
home  of  the  Napiers  and  the  Dennys. 


2  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Robert  Naiper  or  Napier,  son  of  John 
Naiper,  was  the  grandfather  of  the  subject 
of  this  biography,  and  he  was  born  in  the 
year  1726.  He  followed  the  calling  of 
a  blacksmith  in  Dumbarton,  and  about 
1750  married  Jean  Denny,  by  whom  he 
had  a  large  family.  Three  of  his  sons — 
John,  Robert,  and  James — followed  the 
trade  of  their  father,  and  were  in  their 
day  well  known  as  workers  in  iron.  John, 
the  eldest,  along  with  his  brother  James, 
continued  the  business  in  Dumbarton, 
while  Robert  went  to  Inveraray  and  be- 
came smith  to  the  Duke  of  Argyll. 

Each  of  these  three  men  had  a  son  who 
followed  in  his  father's  footsteps,  and 
came  to  great  eminence  in  the  engineer- 
ing world. 

Robert  Napier  was  descended  from  the 
youngest  branch  of  the  family.  His 
father,  James  Napier,  was  born  in  1764, 
and  in  1789  he  married  Jean  Ewing,  who 


EARLY  DAYS.  3 

came  from  Rosneath.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  six  sons — Robert,  Peter,  James, 
John,  David,  William — and  one  daughter 
who  was  married  to  Mr  Archibald  Reid. 
Their  eldest  child  died  in  infancy.  Robert, 
their  second,  was  born  on  the  18th  June 
1791,  and  baptised  on  the  following  day, 
from  which  fact  we  may  presume  he  was 
not  robust. 

At  the  date  of  his  birth  his  father  was 
engaged  in  business  in  Dumbarton  as  a 
master  smith,  in  conjunction  with  his 
brother  John.  John  Napier  at  that  time 
had  a  foundry  in  which  were  two  steam- 
engines,  one  for  blowing  the  cupola,  and 
the  other,  of  the  Newcomen  type,  for 
working  a  primitive  boring  mill.  Few 
steam-engines  then  existed  in  the  west  of 
Scotland,  and  part  of  the  cannon  cast  at 
Clyde  Iron  Works  were  sent  here  to  be 
finished.  "Born  with  the  hammer  in  his 
hand,"  as  he  was  wont  to  say,  Robert 


4  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

at  an  early  age  was  sent  to  school  in 
Dumbarton,  where  he  was  instructed  in 
English  and  the  elementary  branches  of 
knowledge,  including  Latin  and  French. 

The  most  notable  among  his  teachers 
was  a  Mr  Traill  who  had  been  connected 
with  Messrs  Dixons'  Glass  Works,  which 
was  then  the  chief  industry  in  the  burgh. 
Under  Traill's  tuition  he  developed  a 
special  aptitude  for  mechanical  and  archi- 
tectural drawing,  which  was  carefully 
fostered  by  his  master. 

His  father  was  anxious  to  give  his 
children  a  good  education,  and,  in  ac- 
cordance with  Scottish  custom,  Robert, 
being  the  eldest,  was  intended  for  the 
Church,  but  when  the  time  came  that  he 
should  go  to  college  the  hereditary  taste 
for  the  anvil  proved  too  strong.  The  edu- 
cation for  the  ministry  was  thus  bestowed 
on  his  younger  brother  Peter,  who  grad- 
uated in  1810,  and  afterwards  became 


EARLY  DAYS.  5 

minister  of  the  Blackfriars  Church  in 
Glasgow. 

Accordingly  Robert,  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen, began  to  work  with  his  father,  but 
at  first  a  regular  apprenticeship  was  not 
entered  into. 

In  those  days  raids  by  the  press-gang 
were  frequently  made  on  the  Royal  Burgh, 
and  in  one  of  these  he  was  nearly  cap- 
tured. To  prevent  such  an  accident,  as 
an  apprentice  was  not  liable  to  impress- 
ment, an  indenture  to  serve  his  father 
was  drawn  out  on  4th  September  1809, 
which  ran  as  follows  : — 

This  Indenture  of  the  date  underwritten  entered 
into  and  executed  by  and  betwixt  James  Napier, 
Blacksmith,  in  Dumbarton  on  the  one  part  and 
Robert  Naiper,  his  son,  with  the  special  advice 
of  Robert  Denny  in  Greenhead  as  cautioner  for 
him  doth  witness  that  the  said  Robert  Naiper 
hath  become  bound  and  hereby  binds  and  engages 
himself  as  an  apprentice  to  the  said  James  Naiper 
his  heirs  or  assigns  in  the  art  and  trade  of  a 


6  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Blacksmith  and  that  for  the  full  time  and  space 
of  five  years  compleat  from  and  after  the  com- 
mencement of  his  apprenticeship  which  is  declared 
to  have  been  upon  the  first  day  of  September 
eighteen  hundred  and  seven  years  notwithstanding 
the  date  hereof  during  which  space  the  said  Robert 
Naiper  as  principal  and  the  said  Robert  Denny  as 
caution  with  and  for  him  bind  and  oblige  them 
jointly  and  severally  their  heirs  and  successors 
that  the  said  Robert  Naiper  apprentice  shall  at 
no  time  be  absent  or  divest  himself  from  his  said 
Master's  service  without  leave  asked  and  obtained 
(sickness  excepted)  that  he  shall  by  no  means 
reveal  or  discover  to  any  person  or  persons  what- 
ever any  secrets  he  may  come  to  know  or  be 
instructed  in  relative  to  any  branch  or  branches 
of  his  said  Master's  business  and  that  he  shall 
not  be  privy  to  nor  know  of  anything  that  may 
tend  to  the  hurt  or  prejudice  of  his  said  Master 
without  giving  him  the  earliest  notice  thereof 
and  endeavouring  to  prevent  the  same  and  that 
he  shall  faithfully  honestly  and  diligently  serve 
and  obey  his  said  Master  by  night  and  by  day 
in  these  branches  of  a  blacksmith's  trade  which 
shall  be  assigned  to  him  or  in  any  other  branch 
of  trade  connected  therewith,  and  for  each  day's 
absence  excepting  as  above  he  shall  serve  two 


EARLY  DAYS.  7 

days  at  the  expiry  hereof  which  absent  days 
shall  be  sufficiently  verified  and  ascertained  by 
the  account  thereof  taken  from  the  book  of  his 
said  Master  and  attested  by  him. 

For  which  causes  on  the  other  part  the  said 
James  Napier  the  Master  and  Peter  Cochrane, 
Shipmaster  in  Dumbarton,  as  cautioner  for  him 
bind  and  oblige  themselves  and  their  heirs  and 
successors  that  the  said  James  Naiper  shall  teach 
and  instruct  or  cause  the  said  Robert  Napier  to 
be  taught  and  instructed  in  the  art  and  trade 
of  a  blacksmith  aforesaid  or  in  any  other  branch 
of  trade  connected  therewith  excercised  by  the 
Master  at  which  the  said  apprentice  may  be  set 
to  work  and  that  so  far  as  the  Master  knows 
and  practises  or  the  said  apprentice's  capacity 
can  reach  and  shall  use  his  best  endeavours  to 
render  the  said  apprentice  skilled  and  expert 
therein  and  that  the  Master  shall  entertain  as 
he  hereby  becomes  bound  to  entertain  the  ap- 
prentice at  bed  and  board  during  the  whole 
period  of  his  apprenticeship  Sundays  excepted 
suitable  to  his  station  and  in  the  same  manner 
in  which  his  other  apprentices  are  or  have  been 
accommodated  and  the  said  parties  oblige  them- 
selves to  perform  their  respective  parts  of  the 
promise  each  to  the  other  under  the  penalty  of 


8  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

ten  pounds  sterling  to  be  paid  by  the  party  fail- 
ing to  the  party  observing  or  willing  to  observe. 
Over  and  besides  performance  consenting  to  the 
registration  hereof  in  the  books  of  Council  and 
Session  or  others  competent  for  preservation  and 
that  letters  of  horning  on  a  charge  of  six  days 
and  all  other  execution  necessary  may  pass  there- 
on in  form  as  effeirs  and  constitute 
Prors.  In  witness  whereof  these  presents  are 
written  on  stamped  paper  by  Archibal  Colquhoun 
Writer  in  Dumbarton  an  agent  duly  licensed 
possessed  of  the  legal  certificate  and  subscribed 
at  Dumbarton  the  fourth  day  of  September  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  nine  years  before 
those  witnesses  William  Lang  Senior  Merchant 
in  Dumbarton  and  the  said  Archibald  Colquhoun 
writer  hereof. 

William  Lang,  witness.  JAMES  NAIPER. 

A.  Colquhoun,  witness.  ROBERT  NAIPER. 

PETER  COCHRAN. 

ROBERT  DENNY. 


It  will  be  observed  that,  notwithstand- 
ing the  date  of  the  signatures,  the  appren- 
ticeship was  declared  to  have  commenced 


EARLY  DAYS.  9 

two  years  earlier,  on  first  September  1807 ; 
it  may  also  be  noticed  that  his  kinsman, 
Mr  Denny,  was  his  cautioner. 

To  prevent  impressment,  the  deed  was 
at  once  produced  to  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  endorsed  by  him  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms  : — 

At  Dumbarton  the  4th  day  of  September  1809 
in  presence  of  one  of  His  Majesty's  Justices  of 
the  Peace  for  the  County  of  Dumbarton  com- 
peared  James  Naiper  within  designed  and  in 
terms  of  the  eightieth  and  eighty  first  sections 
of  the  Act  of  the  forty-ninth  of  George  III.  Cap. 
12 :  entitled  an  Act  for  punishing  mutiny  and 
desertion  and  for  the  better  payment  of  the 
Army  and  their  quarters  produced  the  written 
Indenture  entered  into  between  him  and  the  also 
within  designed  Robert  Napier  of  this  date  and 
which  Indenture  is  here  endorsed  by  the  said 
Justice  of  the  Peace  in  terms  of  the  said  Act  of 
Parliament. 

On  6th  October  1812  young  Napier 
completed  his  apprenticeship,  and  was 
duly  discharged  by  his  father. 


10  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

I  James  Napier  within  designed  in  respect 
that  the  also  within  designed  Robert  Napier  has 
served  me  as  my  apprentice  in  terms  of  the 
within  Indenture  for  the  whole  years  therein 
contained  properly  and  faithfully  therefore  I  do 
hereby  exoner  and  discharge  him  and  the  within 
designed  Robert  Denny  his  cautioner  of  the  said 
Indentures  whole  purport  and  effect  thereof  so 
far  as  the  same  was  incumbent  on  him  and  his 
cautioner  and  oblige  myself  to  warrant  this  dis- 
charge at  all  hands.  In  witness  whereof  I  sub- 
scribe this  discharge  written  on  the  back  of  the 
Indenture  by  Archibald  Colquhoun  within  designed 
at  Dumbarton  the  sixth  day  of  October  eighteen 
hundred  and  twelve  years. 

Before  these  witnesses  the  said  Archibald 
Colquhoun  and  James  Donald  apprentice  to  John 
McAulay  Writer  in  Dumbarton. 

A.  Colquhoun,  witness.  JAMES  NAIPER. 

James  Donald,  witness. 

During  this  apprenticeship  he  acquired 
some  experience  as  a  millwright,  working 
at  the  machinery  in  the  calico  works  in 
the  Vale  of  Leven,  which  his  father  was 
commissioned  to  alter  and  overhaul. 


EARLY  DAYS.  11 

James  Napier  was  a  stern  upright  man, 
and  under  the  strict  tuition  of  such  a  father 
the  son  soon  acquired  great  proficiency  in 
his  craft.  Possessed  of  more  than  average 
abilities,  he  became  a  first-rate  workman, 
especially  in  ornamental  smith -work,  of 
which  accomplishment  he  was  always  very 
proud.  In  his  spare  moments  he  occu- 
pied himself  making  small  tools,  draw- 
ing instruments,  guns,  gun-locks,  &c.,  and 
perfecting  his  drawing  under  Mr  Traill. 
He  always  considered  that  he  was  under 
great  obligations  to  Mr  Traill  for  inculcat- 
ing that  love  of  the  fine  arts  which  he 
cultivated  with  such  assiduity  in  his  later 
years. 

On  completion  of  his  apprenticeship  he 
worked  for  a  short  time  in  Dumbarton  as 
a  journeyman.  Thereafter,  being  anxious 
to  see  the  world,  he  set  out  for  Edin- 
burgh, fortified  with  a  certificate  of  char- 
acter from  the  minister  of  the  parish, 


12  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

and    a   small    supply   of  money  from   his 
father. 

He  had  a  struggle  to  get  work  in  the 
Scottish  metropolis,  and  at  the  outset  had 
to  content  himself  with  such  low  wages 
that  in  his  own  words  "he  had  often  to 
count  the  lamp -posts  for  his  supper/' 
After  some  time  he  obtained  a  better 
situation  from  Mr  Robert  Stevenson,  the 
eminent  lighthouse  engineer,  and  re- 
mained with  him  for  a  year  or  more. 

There  is  a  story  told  that  a  blunder 
in  a  first  attempt  to  construct  a  boiler 
so  mortified  him  that  he  terminated  his 
connection  with  the  east  country ;  but, 
whether  this  be  apocryphal  or  not,  we 
find  him  in  Glasgow,  in  1814,  working 
as  a  journeyman  smith  with  Messrs 
William  Lang  &  Sons,  in  the  Old  Wynd. 
With  a  view  to  further  advancement  he 
endeavoured  to  join  the  Incorporation  of 
Hammermen,  giving  in  as  his  "  essay "  a 


EARLY  DAYS.  13 

screw  bolt  and  nut ;  but  being  unable  for 
some  reason  to  produce  a  burgess  ticket, 
he  was  evidently  not  admitted. 

His  views  at  this  period  were  modest, 
and  he  applied  for  a  foreman's  place  with 
a  firm  in  the  country,  but  not  succeeding 
in  obtaining  the  situation,  he  returned  to 
his  native  town  and  again  worked  with 
his  father  for  a  short  time. 

His  uncle,  John  Napier,  had  gone  to 
Glasgow  in  1802,  and  young  Robert 
resolved  to  follow  his  example,  as  there 
was  more  scope  there  than  in  Dumbarton. 
Having  borrowed  £50  from  his  father, 
he  bought  the  tools  and  goodwill  of  a 
small  smith's  shop  in  Greyfriars  Wynd, 
and  there  began  business  in  May  1815. 
His  rent  did  not  exceed  £20  per  annum, 
and  at  first  only  two  apprentices  were 
employed. 

His  grandfather  and  father  had  been 
members  of  the  Incorporation  of  Ham- 


14  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

mermen,  and  his  uncle  had  attained  to 
the  dignity  of  Deacon  of  the  Society,  so 
he  again  made  an  effort  to  join  this  body, 
and  having  overcome  the  difficulty  of 
his  burgess  ticket,  he  was  admitted.  The 
entry  in  the  register  of  the  Hammermen 
reads  thus  :  "  25th  August  1815,  Robert 
Napier,  Smith  in  Glasgow,  a  Freeman's 
son,  made  and  gave  in  a  Bored  Hammer 
as  his  Essay,  and  showed  his  burgess 
ticket,  which  is  dated  21st  August  1815." 
This  hammer  passed  out  of  his  posses- 
sion for  many  years ;  but  he  recovered  it, 
and  in  his  old  age  wrote  the  following 
account  of  its  history  : — 

"This  'Essay'  Hammer  was  made  by 
Robt.  Napier  in  1815,  in  presence  of 
Two  of  the  Master  Court  of  the  Corpora- 
tion of  Hammermen,  Glasgow,  being  forged 
out  of  a  piece  of  square  bar  of  Iron  and 
Steeled  on  both  ends  or  faces  of  the 
Hammer  at  only  Three !  successive  heats 


EARLY  DAYS.  15 

in  the  fire.  At  this  period  every  Black- 
smith, before  being  admitted  into  the 
Corporation  of  Hammermen,  was  bound 
to  prove  that  he  was  a  good  Trades- 


man." 


It  may  be  added  that  he  was  very  proud 
of  this  "essay"  hammer,  and  in  1868,  at 
a  gathering  of  several  thousands  of  his 
employees,  he  displayed  it  as  a  proof  of 
his  early  skill. 

Little  is  known  of  his  struggles  in  his 
first  shop,  but  at  length  business  success 
began  to  show  itself,  and  he  acquired 
such  confidence  in  his  prospects  that  he 
had  a  sign  painted  at  the  corner  of  the  wynd, 
"  Robert  Napier,  Engineer  and  Blacksmith." 

He  directed  his  attention  to  smith-work 
in  general  and  the  construction  of  Bramah 
presses,  doing  also  a  little  millwright  work, 
such  as  the  making  of  cog-wheels,  &c. 

His  cousin  David,  son  of  Robert  Napier 
of  Inveraray,  had  gone  south  to  London 


16  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

to  push  his  fortune,  and  occasional  letters 
passed,  the  London  cousin  sending  to 
his  Scottish  relative  particulars  of  Messrs 
Maudslay's  presses,  and  other  interesting 
information  on  mechanical  topics,  which 
he  turned  to  advantage. 

In  little  over  two  years'  time  Robert 
Napier  had  made  a  name  for  himself  in 
Glasgow,  and  was  chosen  for  the  important 
office  of  Collector  to  the  Hammermen,  a 
position  which  he  filled  with  such  accept- 
ance that  he  was  subsequently  elected 
Deacon  of  the  Incorporation.  He  seems  to 
have  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  affairs 
of  the  society,  as  the  records  show  that 
he  attended  every  meeting  during  his  year 
of  office.  The  formal  meetings  were  held 
in  the  Trades'  House ;  but  at  this  time 
the  ordinary  business  was  transacted  in 
the  Swan  and  the  Gardeners'  taverns, 
where  the  Master  Court  regularly  met. 

In  1818  he  married  his  cousin  Isabella, 


EARLY  DAYS.  17 

daughter  of  John  Napier,  and  began 
housekeeping  in  "Weaver  Street,  not  far 
from  his  smithy. 

His  wife's  family  were  in  fairly  affluent 
circumstances,  and  through  his  marriage 
he  came  into  closer  relationship  with  her 
brother,  David  Napier,  who  by  this  time 
had  started  a  foundry  at  Camlachie,  where 
he  was  making  marine  engines. 

David  had  taken  part  in  producing  the 
machinery  of  the  Comet,  had  tackled  the 
problem  of  deep-sea  navigation,  and  was 
now  considered  the  most  prominent  man 
in  the  new  marine  engineering  world. 
For  the  ensuing  twenty  years  the  careers 
of  the  two  cousins  were  closely  identified  ; 
and  as  Robert  followed  in  David's  foot- 
steps, a  short  sketch  of  his  life  may  be 
of  interest. 


B 


CHAPTER    II. 

DAVID  NAPIER. 

BIRTH REMOVES       TO       GLASGOW  —  THE       COMET  —  CAMLACHIE 

FOUNDRY STARTS     BELFAST     TRADE  —  PURCHASES     LANCE- 
FIELD — GOES   TO    LONDON — INVENTIONS — LATER   YEARS. 

DAVID  NAPIER,  son  of  John  Napier,  was 
born  at  Dumbarton  on  10th  November 
1790,  and  was  thus  a  few  months  older 
than  his  cousin. 

At  the  time  of  his  birth  his  father,  who 
was  the  eldest  of  his  family,  worked  in 
Dumbarton,  but  a  few  years  later,  in 
1802,  he  removed  to  premises  in  Glasgow 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jamaica  Street. 

When  he  was  five  years  of  age  David 
was  sent  to  the  public  school  at 
Dumbarton,  where  he  received  instruction 


DAVID  NAPIER.  19 

similar  to  his  cousin  Robert.  Subse- 
quently, on  his  removal  to  Glasgow,  his 
education  was  continued,  and  he  was 
taught  drawing  and  mathematics  by  Mr 
Peter  Nicholson,  the  well-known  authority 
on  architecture,  who  along  with  John 
Napier  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Royal  Philosophical  Society. 

Though  David  never  served  a  regular 
apprenticeship,  he  turned  his  hand  to 
everything,  and  at  the  early  age  of  twenty 
he  was  taking  charge  of  his  father's 
business.  His  father  died  when  he  was 
young,  and  the  care  of  the  foundry  fell 
on  him.  Among  his  father's  friends  and 
customers  —  who  were  not  very  regular 
paymasters — was  Mr  Henry  Bell,  known 
at  this  time  as  a  house  builder.  In  this 
capacity  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
visiting  Napier's  foundry  in  Howard  Street, 
and  when  he  resolved  on  his  experiment 
with  the  Comet  he  gave  Napier  the  order 


20  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

for  the  boiler  and  castings  required. 
David  Napier  was  thus  in  the  very  fore- 
front of  steam  navigation ;  and,  grasping 
the  fact  of  the  future  of  steam-boats,  he 
erected  works  at  Camlachie  Burn,  in  the 
east  end  of  Glasgow,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  small  marine  engines,  which  he 
supplied  to  the  river  steamers  then 
building. 

In  those  early  days  it  was  considered 
impossible  to  make  ship's  machinery 
capable  of  withstanding  the  shock  of  a 
heavy  sea,  and  steam-boats  did  not  venture 
outside  the  Cumbrae  Heads  in  stormy 
weather. 

Napier  was  familiar  with  the  works  of 
Bossut  on  the  resistance  of  fluids ;  and 
after  making  some  passages  in  the  Belfast 
sailing-packets,  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  full  bow  then  considered  necessary 
was  not  a  form  suitable  for  easy  propulsion. 
He  therefore  boldly  resolved  to  build  a 


DAVID    NAPIER. 


DAVID  NAPIER  21 

steamer  for  the  Channel  trade  in  conformity 
with  his  own  ideas.  His  first  step  was  to 
make  a  model  proportional  to  the  length, 
breadth,  and  depth  he  contemplated ;  and 
having  erected  a  framework  on  the  top 
of  which  was  a  drum  for  winding  up  a 
weight,  he  began  making  "tank  experi- 
ments" in  Camlachie  burn.  He  continued 
fining  the  bow  as  long  as  there  was  any 
perceptible  increase  in  speed,  taking  care 
to  keep  the  weight  of  the  block  the  same. 
Having  at  length  in  this  manner  deter- 
mined the  most  suitable  form,  he  handed 
the  model  to  the  builder,  with  instruc- 
tions that  the  vessel  was  to  be  con- 
structed in  conformity  therewith. 

This  steamer  was  called  the  Rob  Eoy, 
and  despite  all  predictions  of  failure,  she 
proved  a  great  success.  With  her  in  1818 
he  instituted  regular  steam  communication 
between  Greenock  and  Belfast,  and  after- 
wards sold  her  to  the  French  Government, 


22  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

who,  changing  her  name  to  Henri  Quatre, 
employed  her  for  years  in  the  Channel 
trade.  He  thus  established  over-sea  com- 
munication ;  and  the  Blue-books  of  the 
House  of  Commons  record  the  fact  that 
the  vessels  built  by  David  Napier  were 
the  first  to  demonstrate  the  practicability 
of  navigating  the  open  sea  by  steamer. 

His  reputation  as  a  marine  engineer 
brought  him  many  orders,  and  for  the 
extension  of  his  business  he  was  induced 
to  purchase  lands  at  Lancefield,  in  the 
west  end  of  Glasgow,  adjoining  the  Clyde. 
There  he  erected  improved  works,  and 
also  made  a  dock  or  wet  basin ;  and 
having  no  further  need  of  his  Camlachie 
premises,  he  leased  the  foundry  to  his 
cousin  Robert.  For  many  years  he  was 
assisted  by  David  Tod  and  John  Macgregor, 
who  acted  as  his  managers,  and  who 
subsequently  founded  the  well-known  firm 
of  Messrs  Tod  &  Macgregor. 


DAVID  NAPIER.  23 

In  1826  he  engined  the  celebrated  vessel 
United  Kingdom,  the  first  of  the  so-called 
leviathans.  She  was  160  feet  long  +  26 \ 
feet  beam,  with  engines  of  200  N.H.P., 
and  was  considered  the  wonder  of  her 
day.  People  flocked  from  all  quarters  to 
see  her,  the  general  public  predicting  that 
she  would  be  too  unwieldy  at  sea.  She 
left  the  Clyde  on  29th  July  1826,  with  150 
passengers  on  board,  and  made  the  voyage 
to  Leith  round  the  north  of  Scotland  in 
sixty-five  hours. 

David  Napier's  brain  was  of  the  most 
fertile  character ;  and  in  addition  to  intro- 
ducing many  improvements  into  steamers, 
such  as  surface  condensers,  steeple  engines, 
feathering  paddles,  twin  screws,  &c.,  he 
designed  a  rotary  engine,  a  floating  battery, 
a  breech-loading  gun,  a  steam  carriage,  and 
many  other  novelties. 

While  his  ideas  were  good  his  work 
lacked  the  substantial  qualities  which  dis- 


24  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

tinguished  that  done  by  his  cousin  Robert, 
and  the  records  of  the  Court  of  Session  bear 
witness  to  numerous  litigations  in  which 
perforce  he  was  entangled.  The  solidity 
of  Robert's  work  more  than  counterbalanced 
the  brilliant  design  of  that  of  his  cousin, 
and  gradually  he  came  to  have  pre- 
eminence. 

In  1835  a  disastrous  explosion  occurred 
on  one  of  his  steamers,  the  Earl  Grey.  She 
was  lying  at  Greenock,  and  was  preparing 
to  try  conclusions  with  the  celebrated 
Clarence,  when  her  boilers  burst,  killing  and 
injuring  many.  This  accident  affected  his 
health,  and  in  the  end  of  the  year  David 
leased  Lancefield  House  and  works  to  his 
cousin  and  removed  to  London,  where  he 
afterwards  engaged  in  business  with  his 
sons.  He  built  some  very  fast  iron 
steamers  for  the  Margate  traffic,  which 
were  considered  "  highly  dangerous "  boats. 
One  of  them,  the  Eclipse,  became  known 


DAVID  NAPIER.  25 

as  "  Spring-heeled  Jack,"  and  had  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  immortalised  in  the 
'Ingoldsby  Legends/ 

A  few  years  later  he  retired,  and  his 
London  yard  was  acquired  by  Mr  Scott 
Kussell  in  connection  with  the  construction 
of  the  Great  Eastern. 

At  the  time  of  the  Crimean  War  he  de- 
signed a  screw  vessel  which,  in  his  opinion, 
would  prove  invulnerable,  and  yet  have 
offensive  powers  capable  of  destroying  any- 
thing afloat.  She  was  similar  to  the  Moni- 
tor which  Ericsson  subsequently  built.  The 
design  showed  no  sides  above  water ;  a 
curved  deck  two  feet  thick,  covered  outside 
and  inside  with  thick  iron  plates,  was  in- 
tended to  serve  the  fourfold  purpose  of 
giving  the  vessel  greater  buoyancy,  increas- 
ing the  internal  head-room,  repelling  shot, 
and  elevating  the  aperture  of  the  heavy 
gun  with  which  he  proposed  to  arm  her. 
He  offered  to  supply  a  breech  -  loading 


26  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

gun,  made  of  malleable  iron,  that  would 
fire  twice  as  quickly  as  any  gun  in  the 
Navy,  and  also  suggested  that  such  a 
weapon,  with  an  iron  proof  casemate, 
should  be  mounted  on  a  steam  carriage 
and  worked  on  land.  His  suggestions, 
however,  did  not  find  favour  with  the 
Authorities,  who  declined  his  proposal 
without  assigning  any  reason. 

Another  of  the  projects  of  his  later  years 
had  reference  to  the  purification  of  the 
Clyde.  He  submitted  a  plan  for  removing 
the  sewage  of  Glasgow  to  the  open  sea 
by  barges,  and  expressed  his  willingness 
to  subscribe  £500  to  test  it ;  but  his 
scheme  at  that  time  was  not  considered, 
though  subsequently  in  effect  adopted. 

In  his  younger  days  he  had  acquired  a 
large  tract  of  land  at  the  head  of  the  Holy 
Loch,  where  he  built  houses,  and  made 
roads  on  which  he  employed  his  steam 
carriage,  which  was  the  first  conveyance 


DAVID  NAPIER.  27 

of  the  kind  to  carry  passengers  for  hire. 
He  also  purchased  a  small  estate  at  Glen- 
shellish,  situated  near  the  north  end  of 
Loch  Eck,  where  he  loved  to  stay  in 
lonely  solitude,  thinking  out  and  maturing 
many  of  his  inspirations  of  genius. 

After  his  retiral  from  business  he  lived 
chiefly  at  "Worcester,  from  which  place  we 
find  him  writing  to  his  cousin  in  1864. 

WORCESTER,  Jan.  11,  1864. 

DEAR  COUSIN, —  ...  I  am  glad  to  learn  my 
sister  is  so  much  better  than  she  was.  The 
accounts  were  so  alarming  I  received  at  one  time, 
that  I  had  a  suit  of  black  prepared,  all  ready  for 
a  start  for  Scotland  if  the  next  post  had  not 
brought  intelligence  that  she  was  rather  better. 
The  probability  now  is  that  she  will  wear  black 
for  me  instead.  It  is  of  very  little  consequence 
who  goes  first.  One  just  goes  a  little  before  the 
other,  and  all  are  soon  forgotten. — I  am,  dear 
Cousin,  yours  truly,  DAVID  NAPIER. 

EGBERT  NAPIER,  Esq. 

I  can  still  eat  and  drink  pretty  well,  but  cannot 
walk  any  distance  without  the  fear  of  falling. 


28  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

The  end  came  a  few  years  later,  and  he 
died  in  London  in  1869,  in  the  eightieth 
year  of  his  age. 

It  has  been  said  that,  excepting  his  cousin 
Robert,  no  man  contributed  more  to  the 
success  of  steam  navigation  than  David 
Napier  of  Glenshellish. 


CHAPTER    III. 

CAMLACHIE. 

LEASES    CAMLACHIE    FOUNDRY ENGAGES    DAVID    ELDER ORDER 

FOR   LEVEITS    ENGINE — SUCCESS BUILDS    BELFAST    STEAMERS 

MEETS    MAUDSLAY — WINS    YACHT     CLUB    RACE — ACQUIRES 

VULCAN    FOUNDRY. 

IN  1821  Robert  Napier  entered  into  a 
lease  of  his  cousin's  premises  at  Camlachie, 
and  removed  his  dwelling-place  to  White- 
vale.  The  rent  of  the  foundry  was  £300 
a-year,  including  the  use  of  tools ;  but  as 
this  sum  was  more  than  ten  times  what 
he  had  been  paying  for  his  old  shop, 
and  as  there  was  considerable  risk  in  the 
venture,  he  had  the  option  of  giving  up 
the  lease  at  the  end  of  the  first  year. 
Though  a  great  advance  on  what  he  had 


30  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

hitherto  been  working  with,  the  plant  at 
Camlachie  was  of  the  most  modest  de- 
scription. There  were  a  few  10-inch  and 
12-inch  lathes,  a  rude  horizontal  boring-mill, 
a  vertical  machine,  and  the  necessary  appli- 
ances for  making  castings  ;  but  even  with 
these  tools  he  succeeded  in  turning  out 
first-class  work. 

One  of  his  first  steps  was  to  fix  upon  a 
good  works  manager.  In  making  this  selec- 
tion, he  was  most  fortunate  in  securing  the 
services  of  Mr  David  Elder,  who  continued 
with  him  for  forty  years.  Mr  Elder  came 
from  the  east  country,  and  was  a  very 
sterling  upright  man.  He  was  a  millwright 
to  trade,  and  would  turn  out  nothing  but 
the  most  solid  work,  on  which  he  put  the 
most  accurate  finish.  He  was  nearing  forty 
years  of  age  when  Mr  Napier  engaged  him, 
and  a  good  deal  of  millwright  work  had 
previously  passed  through  his  hands. 

Established  in  his  new  premises,  Napier 


A.  Brown. 


ROBERT    NAPIER,   1830. 


CAMLACHIE.  31 

undertook  a  contract  for  large  water-pipes 
for  the  City  of  Glasgow,  which  he  exe- 
cuted satisfactorily.  The  first  order  for 
machinery  came  from  Mr  Boyack,  of 
Dundee.  It  was  for  an  engine  of  12  H.P., 
to  be  used  in  driving  a  mill ;  and  so  well 
and  substantially  was  this  made  that  it 
was  running  at  the  date  of  Mr  Napier's 
death,  fully  fifty  years  afterwards.  Orders 
of  a  similar  nature  followed,  and  he  also 
made  numerous  land  engines.  Robert 
Napier,  however,  perceiving  that  there 
was  a  great  future  in  steam  navigation, 
desired  more  especially  to  construct  marine 
engines  like  those  with  which  his  cousin 
David  had  been  so  successful. 

Failures  were  then  more  frequent  than 
successes,  and  as  he  was  an  untried  man 
as  a  marine  engineer,  he  had  great  diffi- 
culty in  attaining  his  wishes. 

Through  his  Dumbarton  connection  he 
was  acquainted  with  the  Langs,  and  from 


32  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

them  he  ultimately,  in  1823,  succeeded  in 
getting  an  order  for  the  engine  of  a 
luggage-boat  they  were  about  to  build. 

As  so  much  hung  on  the  satisfactory 
carrying  out  of  this  contract,  he  bestowed 
on  his  first  marine  engine  his  best  skill 
and  finish,  introducing  improvements  on 
the  condenser,  air-pump,  slide-valves,  &c., 
and  taking  special  care  to  have  the  frame- 
work strong  and  rigid.  The  Leven  suc- 
ceeded beyond  his  most  sanguine  hopes, 
and  her  engine,  after  lasting  out  three 
hulls,  finally  found  a  resting-place  on  a 
pedestal  at  Dumbarton  Castle  as  a  monu- 
ment to  the  constructor. 

This  order  was  speedily  followed  by 
others,  and  he  was  now  constantly  em- 
ployed as  a  marine  engineer,  constructing 
machinery  for  river  boats  and  larger 
vessels,  such  as  the  Belfast  steamers  Aim- 
well  and  St  Andrew,  in  the  running  of 
which  he  appears  to  have  been  interested. 


CAMLACHIE.  33 

It  may  be  noted  that  in  the  early  days 
of  steam  navigation  the  builder  was  fre- 
quently the  owner  of  the  vessel,  and  it 
was  generally  owing  to  his  initiation  that 
new  routes  were  started.  Thus  in  1818 
David  Napier  began  the  Belfast  trade 
with  his  steamer  Rob  Roy,  and  in  1826 
Robert  Napier  made  a  further  forward 
stride  in  the  same  trade  with  the  Edipse, 
which  he  in  great  part  owned.  At  the 
time  she  was  described  as  "the  most  com- 
plete vessel  of  her  size  ever  built  on  the 
Clyde ;  in  point  of  sailing  unequalled  by 
any  vessel ;  built  of  the  best  British  oak, 
copper-sheathed  and  fastened,  with  double 
side -lever  engines,  having  cylinders  35 
inches  in  diameter,  warranted  equal  in 
construction  and  workmanship  to  the  best 
engines  made." 

Being  desirous  of  selling  this  vessel,  and 
hearing  that  some  of  the  London  com- 
panies wanted  crack  steamers,  he  went 

c 


34  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

to  London  in  the  spring  of  1827,  and 
stayed  with  his  Inveraray  cousin,  David 
Napier,  who  was  then  becoming  known 
as  a  skilled  mechanic,  especially  in  con- 
nection with  the  invention  of  the  rotary 
printing-presses,  so  much  used  in  later 
years  in  the  production  of  the  'Illustrated 
London  News'  and  other  papers. 

Messrs  Maudslay  were  then  reckoned  the 
most  famous  engineers  in  London,  and 
being  desirous  of  seeing  their  works, 
Napier  approached  them  through  his 
cousin,  who  had  at  one  time  been  in 
their  employment.  He  received  a  most 
gratifying  reply  to  his  request  for  per- 
mission to  visit  their  premises  : — 

Mr  Maudslay's  respectful  compliments  to  Mr 
Napier,  and  begs  to  say  he  always  feels  more 
gratification  in  meeting  or  seeing  any  gentleman 
who  has  a  knowledge  of  the  business  he  is  engaged 
in  than  the  thousands  who  go  about  taking  up  the 
time  without  gaining  any  information.  .  .  .  Mr 


CAMLACHIE.  35 

M.  will  therefore  be  glad  to  see  Mr  N.  either  on 
the  receipt  of  this  or  at  4  o'clock,  or  to-morrow 
morning,  Friday. 

LAMBETH,  March  1,  1827. 

This  letter  was  specially  complimentary, 
as  the  London  engineers  did  not  then 
throw  open  their  works  readily  for  in- 
spection. 

He  was  at  this  time  living  quietly  at 
31  White  vale,  and  there  are  few  letters 
of  general  interest  extant.  There  is,  how- 
ever, one  from  his  friend  Dr  Chalmers, 
who  had  just  resigned  the  charge  of  St 
John's  in  Glasgow,  on  his  appointment 
to  the  Chair  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  St 
Andrews  University. 

KIRKCALDY,  November  13,  1823. 

DEAR  SIR, — Having  had  no  time  in  Glasgow,  I 
wish  to  thank  you  (now  on  my  way  to  St 
Andrews)  for  the  use  that  you  so  kindly  allowed 
us  of  a  child's  coach,  from  which  our  little 


36  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

daughter  derived  a  great  deal  of  enjoyment,  and 
also  of  substantial  benefit. 

May  I  beg  my  most  affectionate  regards  to 
Mrs  Napier  and  your  brother. 

I  should  have  called  along  with  Mr  Sommer- 
ville  upon  you  for  the  purpose  of  introducing 
him  to  your  acquaintance.  This  I  was  not 
able  to  accomplish,  but  I  hope  that  you  will 
soon  meet,  and  that  he  will  prove  a  blessing  in 
the  highest  sense  of  the  word  to  your  family. 

It  is  my  great  wish  that  the  chapel  shall  prove 
a  blessing  to  your  immediate  neighbourhood. 

Give  my  compliments  when  you  see  him  to 
your  cousin,  David  Napier,  Esq. — I  am,  dear  Sir, 
yours  truly,  THOMAS  CHALMERS. 

The  brother  Dr  Chalmers  referred  to 
was  the  Kev.  Peter  Napier,  who  was  then 
assistant  minister  in  the  High  Church,  in 
Glasgow,  from  which  in  the  following 
year  he  was  presented  to  the  church  of 
St  Georges -in -the -Fields,  a  charge  then 
newly  created.  In  later  years  Dr  Napier 
became  minister  of  the  Blackfriars,  or 
what  was  more  commonly  known  as  the 


CAMLACHIE.  37 

College  Church  of  Glasgow,  a  position 
which  he  occupied  till  his  death,  which 
took  place  in  1865. 

Robert  Napier  was  now  no  longer  an 
unknown  engineer,  and  his  reputation  as 
the  best  engineer  on  the  Clyde  was 
established  in  1827. 

The  Northern  Yacht  Club,  at  their  regatta 
in  August  of  that  year,  offered  a  cup, 
valued  at  twenty  guineas,  for  the  swiftest 
steam-boat.  The  course  was  from  Rothesay 
Bay  round  boats  moored  at  the  north 
end  of  the  Great  Cumbrae,  and  back  to 
Rothesay.  Several  steamers  entered  for 
the  race.  The  contest  was  an  exciting 
one,  occupying  nearly  three  hours,  but  in 
the  end  victory  lay  with  Napier's  steamers, 
the  Clarence  winning  the  cup,  and  the 
Helensburgh  coming  in  a  good  second.  This 
apparently  trivial  incident  was  one  of  the 
most  important  events  in  his  life,  and  had 
a  material  bearing  on  his  subsequent  career. 


38  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Up  to  this  point  his  life  had  been  a 
laborious  struggle  to  obtain  a  subsist- 
ence, and  his  position  little  more  than 
that  of  an  industrious  master  mechanic. 

His  success  changed  the  situation. 
Orders,  not  only  from  Glasgow  but  from 
other  quarters,  flowed  in  on  him,  and  he 
began  to  find  himself  in  affluent  circum- 
stances. 

He  now  entered  into  negotiations  with 
his  cousin  for  the  purchase  of  Camlachie 
Works  which  he  had  hitherto  leased ;  and 
to  meet  the  growing  requirements  of  his 
business  he  resolved  to  obtain  premises 
near  the  Clyde.  A  favourable  opportunity 
presented  itself  of  acquiring  the  works  at 
the  foot  of  Washington  Street,  where  Mr 
M'Arthur  had  carried  on  business  as  a 
marine  engineer,  and  he  availed  himself 
of  it. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

ASSHETON  SMITH. 

RETIRES    PROM    ROYAL   YACHT    SQUADRON — SENDS    FOR    NAPIER 

ORDERS    MENAI — BUILDS    FIRE   KING SPEED    OP    FIRE   QUEEN 

— DISLIKES   SCREW    YACHT — INTIMACY   WITH    NAPIER. 

THE  steam -boat  race  at  the  Northern 
Regatta  was  a  novelty,  and  it  attracted 
the  attention  of  a  very  noted  yachtsman, 
Mr  T.  Assheton  Smith  of  Tedworth.  He 
was  then  about  fifty  years  of  age,  and  had 
been  for  a  long  time  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Royal  Yacht  Squadron,  during  which 
period  no  fewer  than  five  sailing  yachts  had 
been  built  for  him.  The  idea  of  having  a 
steam  yacht  suggested  itself  to  him,  and  he 
made  a  proposition  to  admit  such  vessels 
into  the  Club.  His  views  were  not  favour- 


40  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

ably  received  ;  and  some  of  the  members 
went  so  far  as  to  insinuate  that  he  intended 
building  a  steamer  for  business  purposes. 
Mr  Smith  was  naturally  indignant,  and 
resented  the  matter  so  much  that  he 
withdrew  his  name  from  the  Club.  Being 
a  man  of  great  influence  and  wealth,  and 
of  inflexible  purpose,  he  determined  to 
brave  the  opinion  of  the  Royal  Yacht 
Squadron  by  ordering  a  steam  yacht  for 
himself.  Knowing  Robert  Napier  by  repu- 
tation, he  wrote  him  a  letter  stating  his 
requirements,  and  requesting  him  to  come 
to  his  house  at  Penton  near  Andover.  Mr 
Smith  was  quite  a  stranger  to  Napier,  but 
he  resolved  to  go  and  see  him.  On  his 
journey  he  went  first  to  Dublin,  crossed 
back  to  Holyhead,  drove  down  by 
Cheltenham  to  Bristol,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  Andover.  On  their  meeting, 
Mr  Smith  plunged  at  once  in  medias  res, 
giving  full  details  of  his  quarrel  with  the 


ASSHETON  SMITH.  41 

Yacht  Club,  and  explaining  his  proposed 
method  of  procedure,  winding  up  with 
the  not  very  reassuring  remark  that  Mrs 
Smith  (whom  he  had  recently  married)  was 
very  much  against  his  building  a  steamer, 
and  that  Napier  must  overcome  her  objec- 
tion. As  he  had  never  seen  Mrs  Smith, 
Napier  demurred ;  but  Mr  Smith  would 
take  no  refusal.  At  this  juncture  dinner 
was  announced,  and  he  was  introduced 
to  the  lady  of  the  house.  Napier  had  no 
want  of  tact,  and  made  such  a  favourable 
impression  on  the  lady  that  he  was  asked 
to  come  next  morning  to  breakfast.  At 
this  second  meeting  Mr  Smith  gave  him 
an  order  for  a  steam  yacht  costing  over 
£20,000,  and  sent  him  on  his  way  rejoic- 
ing. In  addition  to  the  order  he  also  took 
with  him  something  much  more  valuable, 
the  lifelong  goodwill  and  unbounded  con- 
fidence of  this  powerful  English  gentleman. 
Such  trust  did  Mr  Smith  place  in  his  new 


42  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

acquaintance  that  he  never  went  to  see 
the  yacht  during  construction,  but  left 
everything  to  the  builder  till  she  was  de- 
livered at  Bristol.  The  Menai,  as  she  was 
called,  was  over  120  feet  long  and  20  feet 
beam,  with  double-side  lever  engines ;  and 
a  model  of  her  is  still  to  be  seen  in  the 
Glasgow  Art  Galleries.  Her  owner  was  so 
pleased  with  her  that  he  continued  to  order 
new  yachts  from  Napier  till  he  was  nearly 
eighty  years  of  age,  the  following  being  the 
names  of  some  of  the  yachts  thus  supplied : — 

1830.  Menai      ....     Paddle. 

1838.  Glow-worm  .     .     .     Paddle. 

1839.  Fire  King    .     .     .     Paddle. 

1843.  Water- Cure      .     .  Experimental  Yacht. 

1844.  No.  1  Fire  Queen  .  Paddle. 

1845.  No.  2  Fire  Queen  .  Paddle. 

1846.  No.  3  Fire  Queen  .  Screw. 
1849.  Jenny  Lind.     .     .  Paddle. 
1851.  Sea-Serpent.     .     .  Paddle. 

Mr    Smith    was    a    strong    advocate    of 


ASSHETON  SMITH.  43 

hollow  water-lines,  and  though  Napier 
dissuaded  him  from  them  in  the  case  of 
his  first  yacht,  he  insisted  on  them  in  the 
Fire  King.  She  proved  to  be  a  very  fast 
boat,  but  before  her  trial  Mr  Smith  was 
so  confident  of  her  success  that  he  made 
a  public  challenge  in  'Bell's  Life7  to  the 
effect  that  the  vessel  would  run  against 
any  steamer  then  afloat  from  Dover  Pier 
round  Eddystone  Lighthouse  and  back 
for  5000  guineas,  or  a  still  higher  sum  if 
required.  Regarding  the  hollow  lines, 
there  was  a  somewhat  heated  controversy 
between  Mr  Smith  and  Mr  Scott  Russell, 
who  claimed  to  be  the  discoverer  of  the 
"wave  principle,"  for  which  he  received  a 
gold  medal  from  the  Royal  Society  of  Edin- 
burgh in  1838.  Mr  Smith,  on  the  other 
hand,  while  not  professing  scientific  know- 
ledge, contended  that  he  was  the  intro- 
ducer of  these  lines,  as  he  had  adopted 
them  in  one  of  his  sailing  yachts  built 


44  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

more  than  ten  years  previously,  and  had 
constantly  pressed  their  adoption  on  the 
builders  of  all  his  steam  yachts. 

His  yacht  following   the  Fire  King  he 
named   the  Fire  Queen,  out   of  loyalty  to 
her  late   Majesty.     One   day,  in  reply  to 
the   Queen's   query  why  he   had   adopted 
this  name,  he  said  :   "  May  it  please  your 
Majesty,   I    had   a   yacht   called  the  Fire 
King   which   was   superior  to   any   I    had 
before  ;  this  is  superior  to  that,  and  I  call 
her  the  Fire  Queen!'     One  of  these  vessels 
was  the  fastest  boat  afloat,  being  able  to 
steam  nearly  sixteen  miles  an  hour.     She 
had    steeple    engines  with    malleable  iron 
framing,   constructed   from   the   designs   of 
John  Napier,  Mr  Napier's  second  son,  and 
the    Admiralty    thought    so    much    of  her 
that    they    purchased    her    for    a    packet. 
Mr  John  Napier  had  the  modern  ideas  of 
light   machinery  with   large   boiler  power, 
but  these  were  not  favourably  considered 


ASSHETON  SMITH.  45 

by  his  father's  manager,  Mr  Elder.  At 
that  time  John  Napier  rarely  got  an  op- 
portunity of  showing  what  could  be  done, 
but  in  1846  he  was  prepared  to  build 
steamers  to  go  twenty  miles  an  hour  if 
his  plans  were  adopted,  which  they  ulti- 
mately were  in  the  case  of  the  fast  river 
steamer  Neptune. 

On  the  introduction  of  the  screw 
propeller,  Mr  Smith  tried  it  in  the  third 
Fire  Queen,  but  he  disliked  it ;  and  many 
letters  he  wrote  to  his  friend  Napier,  say- 
ing that  "if  he  could  not  build  him  a 
paddle  boat  he  must  always  stay  on  shore, 
as  he  would  never  go  to  sea  again  in  a 


screw." 


Mr  Smith  was  on  intimate  terms  with 
the  Duke  of  Wellington  and  other  members 
of  the  aristocracy ;  and  he  was  of  much 
assistance  to  Napier  in  his  subsequent 
dealings  with  the  East  India  Company, 
the  Admiralty,  and  foreign  governments, 


46  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

being  always  ready  to  give  his   name   as 
security  for  him  in  the  largest  contracts. 

When  the  Duke  of  "Wellington  was  stay- 
ing at  Tedworth,  Mr  Smith  communicated 
to  him  his  ideas  regarding  small  gunboats 
for  coast  defence.  The  conservative  Duke 
was  so  impressed  that  he  advised  him  to 
write  his  views  to  the  First  Lord  of  the 
Admiralty,  which  he  did.  Having  had  no 
acknowledgment,  Mr  Smith,  meeting  him 
one  day,  inquired  if  he  had  received  his 
note,  to  which  question  that  official  replied 
in  the  affirmative,  but  added  that  the  First 
Lord  of  the  Admiralty  could  not  pay  at- 
tention to  all  the  recommendations  made 
to  him.  Upon  this  Mr  Smith  took  off 
his  hat,  and,  making  a  stately  bow,  re- 
marked, "What  his  Grace,  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  has  considered  worthy  of  at- 
tention, I  think  your  Lordship  might  at 
least  have  deigned  to  notice."  Within  a 
few  years  his  suggestion  was  adopted,  and 


ASSHETON  SMITH.  47 

a  formidable  fleet  of  vixen  craft,  many  of 
them  engined  by  his  old  friend  Napier, 
did  good  service  in  Chinese  waters. 

Napier's  relations  with  Mrs  Smith  were 
also  most  cordial.  He  never  forgot  how 
much  had  depended  on  his  first  interview 
with  her,  and  in  token  of  his  appreciation 
of  her  kindness  he  presented  her  with  a 
water-engine  to  blow  the  organ  at  Ted- 
worth,  similar  to  the  one  he  had  intro- 
duced at  Shandon,  a  novelty  with  which 
she  was  greatly  delighted. 

He  entertained  for  her  husband  the 
highest  respect  on  account  of  his  disinter- 
ested, kind,  and  upright  conduct  in  all 
matters,  and  he  gave  expression  to  that 
esteem  by  adopting  his  motto,  "  Deeds, 
not  words." 

Mr  Smith  died  in  1858,  and  a  very  in- 
teresting memoir  of  him,  entitled  'A 
Famous  Fox -hunter/  was  written  by  his 
friend  Sir  John  Eardley  Wilmot. 


CHAPTER   Y. 

VULCAN  FOUNDRY. 

EQUIPS  VULCAN    FOUNDRY — POUNDS    STEAM -PACKET    COMPANIES 

CONTRACTS  FOR  DUNDEE  AND   PERTE — THEIR   GREAT   SUCCESS 

LETTER    TO    MR    DUNCAN INTRODUCTION    TO    EAST    INDIA 

COMPANY BUILDS    BERENICE  —  VOYAGE    TO    INDIA BEATS 

ATALANTA INTIMACY   WITH    MR   MELVILL. 

BY  the  year  1830  Robert  Napier  was  the 
most  prominent  marine  engineer  in  Glas- 
gow, and  in  order  to  meet  the  constant 
demands  made  on  him  for  new  steamers, 
he  equipped  the  Yulcan  Works  with 
heavy  tools  suitable  for  making  large 
engines. 

In  this  matter  he  was  ably  advised  by 
Mr  Elder,  who  was  far-seeing,  and  kept 
well  in  advance  of  the  times.  Almost 
no  steam-boat  line  was  now  started  with- 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  49 

out  consulting  Napier,  and  he  took  an 
active  part  in  forming  new  companies  for 
running  steamers.  Among  many  such 
undertakings  special  mention  may  be 
made  of  the  early  steamers  on  the 
Belfast  Trade,  the  Londonderry  Company, 
which  still  exists  (dating  from  1816,  and 
claiming  to  be  the  oldest  Steam-ship  Com- 
pany in  the  world),  and  the  City  of  Glas- 
gow Steam-Packet  Company,  in  which  lay 
the  kernel  of  the  future  Cunard  Line. 

We  noticed  in  a  former  chapter  that 
the  first  engine  Napier  made  at  Cam- 
lachie  Foundry  was  for  Mr  Boyack  of 
Dundee,  and  that  it  had  given  satisfaction. 

In  the  summer  of  1832  the  Dundee, 
Perth,  and  London  Shipping  Company, 
with  which  Mr  Boyack  was  connected, 
resolved  to  adopt  steam  vessels.  Mr 
George  Duncan,  M.P.,  who  took  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  affairs  of  the  Company, 
consulted  Napier  on  the  project,  and  he 

D 


50  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

gave  him  a  favourable  opinion  of  its  chances 
of  success,  basing  his  estimate  on  the 
results  of  the  Liverpool  boats  with  which 
he  was  connected.  Plans  and  offers  were 
asked  from  prominent  engineers  in  London, 
Glasgow,  Leith,  Aberdeen,  and  Dundee. 
A  committee  was  appointed  to  consider 
the  tenders,  and  they  unanimously  came 
to  the  opinion  that  "the  offer  by  Mr 
Kobert  Napier,  engineer  in  Glasgow,  to 
furnish  two  vessels  of  604  tons  burden 
and  about  260  horse-power  each,  combined 
the  greatest  advantage  to  the  Company, 
and  that  it  would  be  decidedly  for  their 
interest  to  accept  of  it  in  preference  to 
any  of  the  other  offers."  They  accord- 
ingly contracted  with  him  to  build  and 
engine  two  vessels  for  the  sum  of  £36,000 
sterling.  The  Company  required  security 
for  the  implementing  of  the  contract,  and 
one  of  the  cautioners  was  Mr  David 
Maclver  of  Liverpool,  who,  hearing  of  the 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  51 

business,  in  a  very  handsome  manner 
voluntarily  offered  to  become  security  for 
his  friend.  Napier,  in  a  letter  written  in 
1835,  mentions  that  he  lost  more  money 
by  this  contract  than  by  all  the  work 
he  had  done  since  he  commenced  business. 
Yet  he  spared  neither  trouble  nor  expense 
to  make  these  boats  the  fastest  and  most 
splendid  mercantile  steamers  afloat,  im- 
plementing not  merely  the  specification, 
but  giving  much  more  than  the  contract 
stipulated  for.  They  were  called  the 
Dundee  and  Perth,  and  were  con- 
sidered very  large  steamers,  their  dimen- 
sions being  175  feet  long  and  28  feet 
beam.  The  hulls  were  built  by  Mr  John 
Wood  of  Port  Glasgow,  who  was  then 
reckoned  the  best  builder  on  the  Clyde. 
During  their  construction  they  came  under 
the  notice  of  the  French  Government, 
who  thought  of  acquiring  them  for  their 
Toulon  and  Algiers  service.  The  Dundee 


52  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Company  expressed  its  willingness  to  part 
with  them  in  consideration  of  a  profit  of 
£10,000  ;  but  in  the  end  the  negotiations 
fell  through.  When  the  steamers  were  com- 
pleted they  gave  unqualified  satisfaction, 
and  the  following  is  an  excerpt  from  the 
minute  of  the  meeting  of  the  Directors  of 
the  Company  held  on  12th  May  1834  : — 

The  meeting  (now  that  the  steam-ship  Perth, 
the  last  of  the  two  steam-ships  contracted  for 
with  the  Company  by  Mr  Eobert  Napier  of 
Glasgow,  has  been  taken  off  his  hands  and 
arrived  safe  in  the  Tay)  unanimously  agreed 
that  the  Manager  shall  be  instructed  to  convey 
to  Mr  Napier  the  expression  of  their  entire 
satisfaction  with  respect  to  the  honourable  manner 
in  which  he  has  discharged  his  obligations  to  the 
Company  for  building,  furnishing,  and  fitting-out 
these  vessels,  and  of  their  opinion  that  in  so 
far  as  they  can  judge  with  reference  to  the 
mould  and  strength  of  the  hull,  the  power 
and  finishing  of  the  engines,  and  the  comfort 
and  the  elegance  of  the  cabins,  he  has  in  every 
respect  equalled,  and  in  many  respects  exceeded, 
the  terms  of  the  contract. 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  53 

The  success  of  the  Dundee  boats  con- 
tributed to  the  establishment  of  Napier's 
general  reputation  more  than  any  work 
he  ever  did.  Plying  to  the  Port  of  Lon- 
don, they  came  in  for  a  severe  ordeal  of 
criticism,  out  of  which  they  emerged 
triumphant  and  universally  admired. 
Large  numbers  of  people  flocked  to  see 
them  on  account  of  the  reported  sumptu- 
ousness  and  finish  of  their  cabins,  and 
they  became  one  of  the  sights  of  London. 
The  cabins,  indeed,  were  most  luxurious, 
the  panels  in  the  saloons,  which  were 
painted  by  a  rising  artist,  who  afterwards 
became  famous  as  Sir  Horatio  M'Culloch, 
being  especially  noteworthy. 

The  steamers  ordered  in  1832  were 
originally  intended  to  begin  the  service 
in  1833,  but  owing  to  difficulties  with 
workmen  and  other  causes  they  were  not 
ready  in  time  for  the  summer  season,  and 
the  Dundee  did  not  make  her  maiden 


54  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

voyage  till  April  1834.  Mr  Duncan,  the 
Chairman  of  the  Company,  wrote  to  Mr 
Napier,  who  was  also  a  shareholder, 
giving  him  the  following  particulars  : — 

DUNDEE,  Monday,  *lth  April  1834. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  only  time  to  quote  to  you 
part  of  our  agent's  letter  received  this  morning  : — 

"I  have  great  pleasure  in  saying  the  Dundee 
steamer  is  safely  up  this  morning,  Captain  Wishart 
highly  pleased  with  her  operations.  I  give  you 
copy  from  his  log-book  for  your  information,  that 
you  may  judge  of  her  speed. 

Left  Dundee,        12  minutes  past    9,  2nd  April. 

Buoy  of  Tay,          5  minutes  past  10. 

Bell  Eock  not  seen. 

St  Abb's  Head,    10  minutes  before  2. 

Flambro'  Head,    45  minutes  past  2  A.M.  Thursday. 

Cromer,  45  minutes  past  11. 

Yarmouth,  10  minutes  past    2. 

Orfordness,  45  minutes  past    4. 

Gunfleet  Beacon,  48  minutes  past    6,  brought  up  at  7.15. 

Nore,  30  minutes  past    6,  Friday  morning. 

Gravesend,  30  minutes  past    8. 

Her  moorings,     30  minutes  past  10. 

"  There  was  a  head- wind  all  the  way  to  Cromer. 
We  consider  she  has  made  her  voyage,  fair  steam- 


*». 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  55 

ing,  in  thirty -eight  hours.  The  'Pool'  was  full, 
but  she  came  through  without  touching  so  much 
as  a  barge.  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
passengers  as  I  met  her  at  Gravesend,  and  all 
seemed  delighted  with  their  voyage  and  arrange- 
ments." 

I  have  no  time  to  say  a  word  myself,  only 
believe  me,  yours  always,  GEORGE  DUNCAN. 

The  Company  ordered  a  third  steamer, 
called  the  London,  which  was  equally  suc- 
cessful, and,  as  we  shall  see  at  a  later  stage, 
she  was  specially  mentioned  by  Mr  Cunard 
"as  the  description  of  vessel  he  required." 
Napier  took  the  Dundee  contract  at  a 
very  low  price,  as  it  afforded  him  an  op- 
portunity of  showing  what  he  could  do  in 
the  case  of  vessels  steaming  continuously 
for  over  twenty -four  hours,  and  he  took 
enormous  trouble  to  ensure  success. 

Although  much  burdened  with  business, 
which  he  had  to  conduct  single-handed, 
necessitating  (among  other  labours)  jour- 
neys to  London  and  elsewhere,  which  in 


56  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

those  days  were  very  tedious  and  exhaust- 
ing, he  was  now  finding  time  for  a  little 
leisure.  In  the  end  of  1833  he  feued  about 
eighteen  acres  of  ground  at  Shandon,  and 
here  he  built  a  modest  cottage,  where  he 
proposed  spending  the  summer  months. 
It  was  only  two  or  three  hours'  journey 
from  Glasgow  by  river,  and  he  was  inter- 
ested in  the  steam -boats  which  plied  on 
the  Grareloch.  It  took  him  some  time  to 
get  his  house  ready,  and  there  is  a  very 
interesting  letter  to  Mr  Duncan,  with 
whom  he  had  formed  an  intimate  friend- 
ship, from  which  we  will  make  a  few  ex- 
tracts. It  is  dated  Whitevale,  Wednes- 
day, 10  P.M.,  15th  May  1835  :— 

"  I  should  be  very  happy  that  your 
arrangements  for  going  to  London  were 
such  that  we  could  meet  there,  as  I  pro- 
pose going  up  to  Liverpool  with  the  new 
City  of  Glasgow,  which  starts  next  week 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  57 

on  her  first  passage ;  and  from  that  I  go 
to  London  to  see  Mr  Smith  about  a  new 
steamer  he  wants  me  to  make  nearly  as 
large  as  the  Dundee.  I  want  also  to  see 
the  India  and  Government  people  about 
their  steamers.  I  have  had  different 
letters  from  them,  and  sent  them  three 
models.  I  learn  £60,000  has  been  voted 
for  two  vessels,  and  I  have  been  advised 
by  my  friends  in  London  to  go  up.  I 
should  like  to  have  a  letter  from  you  to 
Sir  H.  Parnell  by  way  of  introduction,  and 
probably  you  will  take  the  trouble  of 
writing  him  before  I  go  as  to  the  object 
of  my  visiting  London.  .  .  . 

"My  cottage  at  Shandon  is  getting 
nearly  ready  for  its  inmates.  The  painter 
is  papering  and  painting  one  or  two  of 
the  rooms,  and  the  woodwork  of  one  of 
them  I  am  varnishing  instead  of  painting, 
the  wood  being  so  very  clean  that  I  thought 
it  a  pity  to  conceal  it.  ... 


58  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"My  business,  as  you  are  aware,  is 
mostly  confined  at  the  Yulcan  Foundry  to 
the  fitting  up  of  engines  and  machinery 
for  steam -packet  companies,  who,  I  may 
say,  are  in  almost  every  case  as  good  and 
secure  as  the  Bank  of  England ;  and  any 
other  work  I  do  in  general  is  for  people 
who  are  as  good  as  the  generality  of 
banks.  I  am  also  connected  with  a  coal- 
work,  which  till  lately  has  certainly  been 
a  sinking  fund  ;  but  no  other  losses  that 
I  am  aware  of  have  risen  from  it,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  within  the  last  twelve  months 
it  has  begun  to  pay  a  little  of  the  sunk 
funds.  I  hold  one-fourth  of  the  Muirkirk 
Iron  Works.  This  also  has  been  a  sinking 
fund  but  is  now  beginning  to  do  some  good, 
and  in  less  than  two  months  I  hope  to  be 
able  to  inform  you  that  it  is  not  only 
doing  some  good,  but  much  good,  as  by 
that  time  I  fully  expect  we  will  have 
another  large  furnace  in  operation,  and 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  59 

the  rolling  mill  for  bars  and  boiler-plates 
also  in  play.  I  am  interested  in  another 
work  at  Port  Glasgow,  &c.,  &c.  .  .  . 

"I  have  four  new  steamers  at  the 
Broomielaw  finishing  for  public  companies, 
and  I  have  other  two  on  the  stocks,  and 
the  whole  of  these  vessels  are  from  15 
to  20  per  cent  higher  priced  than  the 
Dundee  and  Perth. 

"I  certainly  lost  a  good  deal  of  money 
by  your  two  vessels,  owing  to  the  scandal- 
ous, I  had  almost  said  villainous,  conduct 
of  the  workmen,  and  the  very  low  prices 
I  had  for  your  vessels. 

"  I  have  indeed  always  had  plenty  of 
'  Sinking- Funds,'  and  the  last  two  years 
has  not  decreased  them — viz.,  the  improve- 
ments at  Vulcan  Foundry,  in  houses  and 
machinery,  and  purchase  of  new  ground 
there ;  Muirkirk  Iron  Works,  Barrowfield 
Coal  Works,  the  giving  up  of  Camlachie 
Foundry  to  one  of  my  brothers,  purchase  of 


60  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Shandon  grounds,  making  do.  and  building 
cottages  there,  &c.,  but  notwithstanding  all 
these — call  them  what  you  please,  goods  or 
evils — I  have  hitherto  (without  entering 
any  further  into  particulars)  always  had 
20s.  in  the  pound  for  all  honest  creditors, 
and  a  beefsteak  and  a  bottle  of  wine  over 
and  above  for  all  friends  such  as  you ;  and 
I  trust  the  next  time  you  manage  to  come 
west  that  you  will  fulfil  your  promise  of 
domiciling  with  us  at  the  coast  eight  days 
at  least,  and  put  us  to  the  test.  If  we 
cannot  offer  you  wine,  we  may  probably 
collect  a  little  mountain-dew  for  the  benefit 
of  your  health ;  and  if  we  cannot  manage 
that,  there  is  some  fine  spring  water  not 
far  off  which  may  probably  do  you  as 
much  good  as  any  of  the  former.  At  all 
events  you  shall  have  a  share  of  whatever 
we  can  afford,  and  a  hearty  welcome,  and 
I  know  that  is  all  you  want.  Mrs  N.  fully 
expects  you,  but  not  till  the  good  weather 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  61 

comes  in.  She  probably  may  not  go 
down  till  the  school  vacation  in  June.  I 
hope  to  have  a  short  respite  about  that 
time  also,  and  should  like  above  all  things 
to  spend  a  few  days  with  you  among  the 
Highland  hills.  .  .  . 

"I  hope  you  will  be  able  to  make 
some  sense  out  of  this  long  letter,  which 
has  grown  upon  my  hand.  I  have  never 
said  so  much  to  any  person  before  about 
the  different  businesses  I  am  concerned 
with  ;  but  from  the  friendly  interest  you 
have  taken  in  writing  me  as  you  have 
done,  I  think  it  due  to  you  to  detail  a 
little.  —  Yours  most  sincerely, 

"R.  NAPIER. 


.£—  Do    not  forget   Sir  H.   Parnell's 
letter  of  introduction  to  me." 

This   postscript   was   a   most   important 
injunction,    and    a   few    months    later    he 


62  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

writes  Mr  Duncan  informing  him  that  he 
has  got  the  yacht  from  Mr  Smith,  and 
also  that  he  has  succeeded  in  obtaining 
the  contract  for  one  of  the  two  steamers 
the  East  India  Company  ordered.  He 
adds :  "  What  is  more,  they  have  given 
me  my  own  way  with  the  vessel,  trusting 
to  my  honour  in  everything.  The  sur- 
veyor has  been  thrown  overboard  along 
with  his  specification,  so  that  if  we  do 
not  make  a  good  vessel  we  will  have 
ourselves  to  blame." 

The  India  Company's  vessel  was  called 
the  Berenice,  and  she  was  the  first  ocean 
steamer  Napier  engined.  While  costing 
nearly  £30,000,  her  dimensions  were  only 
slightly  larger  than  those  of  the  Dundee, 
which  she  resembled  in  many  respects, 
being  a  paddle-boat  with  double  side-lever 
engines,  having  three  copper  boilers  worked 
at  low  pressure.  She  was  also  fitted  with 
expansion  valves,  which  gave  very  satis- 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  63 

factory  results.  In  one  of  his  letters  Napier 
says :  "  From  the  generous  and  kind  manner 
in  which  Mr  Peacock  acted  towards  ine 
in  giving  me  a  carte  blanche,  as  it  were, 
about  the  vessel,  trusting  to  my  honour 
to  bear  him  out  in  the  preference  be- 
stowed on  me  by  building  and  finishing 
the  vessel  in  the  best  style  and  with  the 
best  and  most  fitting  material,  so  as  to 
ensure  to  the  Company  a  first-rate  sea- 
going steamer  of  a  good  model,  com- 
bining great  strength  and  durability,  for 
encountering  and  standing  the  strong 
navigation  of  the  Indian  and  Red  seas, 
and  of  carrying  her  cargo  on  a  light 
draught  of  water  and  her  guns  on  deck 
without  being  crank,  it  has  been  my 
anxious  study  to  make  the  vessel  in 
every  respect  such  as  would  be  credit- 
able to  Mr  Peacock  and  profitable  to 
the  Company."  The  other  vessel,  called 
the  Atalanta,  was  built  in  London,  and 


64  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

there     was     keen     rivalry     between     the 
English  and  Scottish  constructors. 

The  Berenice  left  for  India  in  the  spring 
of  1837,  and  Napier  was  much  gratified 
at  receiving  the  following  letters  from  her 
commander,  Captain  Grant. 

BOMBAY,  24th  June  1837. 

MY  DEAR  NAPIER, — This  is  a  copy  of  my  report 
to  Government  of  our  arrival  in  Bombay.  I  have 
no  time  to  write  more.  I  hope  it  will  please 
you.  Your  noble  ship  has  behaved  well,  and 
beat  the  Atalanta  by  eighteen  days. — Yours 
sincerely,  G.  GRANT. 


Captain  Grant's  Report. 

Rear- Admiral  Sir  C.  MALCOLM,  Bt., 
Superintendent  Indian  Navy. 

SIR, — I  have  the  honour  to  report  the  arrival 
of  H.C.  steam-ship  Berenice,  under  my  command 
from  England,  having  left  Falmouth  on  the  16th 
March  at  11  P.M.  and  touched  at  Santa  Cruz  in 
Teneriffe,  Mayo,  one  of  the  Cape  de  Verd  Islands, 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY. 


65 


Fernando  Po,  Table  Bay,  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
and  Port  Louis,  Isle  of  France.  At  each  of 
these  ports  we  took  in  coal,  and  were  detained 
altogether  twenty  -  five  days.  We  have  been 
steaming  sixty-three  days,  and  run  in  that  time 
upwards  of  12,000  miles,  having  averaged  eight 
miles  per  hour  the  whole  voyage. 

The  following  statement  will  show  the  distance 
run  betwixt  each  port  we  touched  at,  the  quantity 
of  coal  consumed,  our  greatest  and  least  speed  per 
hour,  &c. 


;   ^  ^ 

Dis- 
tance 
run. 

Quantity  of  coal 
(in  cwt.) 
used  per  hour. 

Total 
num- 
ber of 
tons. 

Greatest 
speed 
per 
hour. 

Least 
speed 
per 
hour. 

Number 
of  days 
steaming. 

of  days 
detained 
at  each 
port. 

Miles 

Greatest 

Least 

Average 

Knots 

Knots 

D.  H. 

From  Falmouth  to 

1510 

164 

124 

144 

128 

10 

6 

n 

1    16 

Santa  Cruz 

D.    H. 

From  Santa  Cruz 

896 

20 

15J 

171 

87 

11 

9i 

4   9 

4     7 

to  Mayo 

From     Mayo      to 

2284 

Mi 

Hi 

124 

190 

9| 

64 

14   2 

6    0 

Fernando  Po 

Ex 

pansion 

Valve 

on. 

From  Fernando  Po 

2269 

14 

Hi 

12 

220 

10 

54 

14   3 

6  18 

to  Table  Bay 

Ex 

pansion 

Valve 

on. 

From    Table    Bay 

2488 

20 

14 

17 

313 

10 

«i 

12   2 

6     2 

to  Port  Louis 

From   Port    Louis 

2612 

15 

"i 

13 

170 

10 

74 

134 

to  Bombay 

Ex 

pansion 

Valve 

on. 

The   greatest   and   most   oppressive   heat  we  felt 
during  the  voyage  was  soon  after  leaving  Fernando 


66  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Po ;  the  thermometer  in  the  engine-room  stood  at 
120  degrees,  and  in  the  coal-bunkers,  where  the 
men  were  working,  it  was  at  136.  Our  greatest 
run  in  twenty-four  hours  was  252  miles.  I  have 
much  pleasure  in  stating  that  the  ship  has  per- 
formed her  voyage  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner. 
She  is  an  excellent  sea-boat,  and  carries  her  sail 
well  in  the  worst  of  weather.  We  have  not  lost 
a  spar  with  the  exception  of  a  jibboom  since  we 
left  England,  and  the  masts,  yards,  sails,  and 
rigging  are  in  good  order.  The  engines  and 
boilers,  with  everything  connected  with  them,  are 
in  the  most  efficient  state,  and  reflect  great  credit 
upon  my  chief  engineer,  Mr  David  M'Laren,  who 
has  proved  himself  to  be  a  most  excellent  officer 
and  engineer, — his  attention  to  his  duty,  and  the 
good  order  he  has  kept  his  men  in,  merits  my 
warmest  praise.  The  ship  I  consider  to  be  at  this 
moment  in  almost  as  efficient  a  state  as  when  we 
left  Falmouth,  and  perfectly  capable  of  under- 
taking as  long  a  voyage  as  that  she  has  just 
now  so  satisfactorily  finished. 

The  ship's  log-book,  with  a  copy  of  the  steam- 
log,  shall  be  sent  to  you  as  soon  as  they  are 
completed.  The  latter  has  been  kept  by  the 
purser  and  chief  engineer,  and  the  original  was 
sent  regularly  to  the  Hon.  the  Court  of  Directors 
by  their  orders  from  each  port  we  touched  at.  Mr 


VULCAN  FOUNDRY.  67 

Spear,  the  purser,  was  originally  engaged  as  2nd 
officer  of  this  ship,  being  well  acquainted  with 
steam ;  but  in  consequence  of  a  defect  of  vision  I 
was  under  the  necessity  of  relieving  him  from  that 
duty  and  appointing  him  purser,  and  to  appoint 
Mr  Bennett,  the  then  purser,  to  be  2nd  officer. 
Mr  Spear  has  ably  assisted  at  keeping  the  steam- 
log,  and  in  all  other  respects  performed  his  duty 
to  my  satisfaction.  The  ship  expenses  for  fresh 
provisions,  water,  port  charges,  &c.,  amount  to 
£217,  10s.  8d.  since  we  left  Falmouth. 

Before  concluding  the  report,  I  must  beg  leave 
to  bring  to  your  notice  the  very  meritorious 
conduct  of  my  surgeon,  Mr  Morrison,  for  his 
humane  and  kind  attention  to  the  sick,  and 
having  voluntarily  given  up  his  own  cabin  for 
their  accommodation  for  nearly  the  whole  voyage 
when  I  had  no  place  fit  for  them. 

Five  boxes  of  the  Hon.  Company's  despatches 
accompany  this  letter.  They  are  directed  to 
the  Right  Hon.  the  Governor  in  Council  of 
Bombay.  I  beg  to  enclose  a  copy  of  our  muster- 
roll,  and  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir,  your  most 
obedient  humble  servant, 

G.  GRANT,  Captain  I.N., 

Commanding  the  Berenice. 

Steam-ship  Berenice, 

BOMBAY  HARBOUR,  13th  June  1837. 


68  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

The  success  of  the  Berenice  was  one  of 
Napier's  first  triumphs  over  his  English 
rivals.  It  helped  to  dissipate  the  prejudice 
against  Scottish  engineers,  and  establish 
the  reputation  of  the  Clyde  as  an  engineer- 
ing centre.  In  proof  of  this  it  may  be 
said  that  the  connection  then  made  with 
the  East  India  Company  and  their  suc- 
cessors lasted  uninterruptedly  till  Mr 
Napier's  death. 

As  a  result  of  the  satisfactory  execution 
of  this  contract  a  most  intimate  friend- 
ship was  established  with  the  secretary,  Mr 
James  C.  Melvill,  who  had  unbounded  in- 
fluence in  the  direction  of  the  Company's 
affairs,  and,  as  we  shall  see,  it  was  through 
his  direct  agency  that  Mr  Cunard  sought 
out  Napier  a  few  years  later. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

i 

ADMIRALTY. 

INTRODUCTION     TO     ADMIRALTY TENDER      FOR      VESUVIUS     AND 

STROMBOLI CAPTAIN    OMMANNEY's     REPORT HOSTILITY    TO 

SCOTCH     ENGINES PARLIAMENTARY     RETURN RESULT 

LETTER    ON    BOILER    QUESTION. 

AFTER  delivering  the  Berenice  to  the  East 
India  Company,  Napier  resolved  to  make 
an  effort  to  obtain  an  order  from  the 
British  Government.  This  was  an  ex- 
tremely difficult  matter  to  manage,  as 
conservatism  overruled  all  other  consider- 
ations,— Messrs  Watt,  Maudslay,  Seaward, 
and  one  or  two  others  being  considered  by 
the  Authorities  as  the  only  firms  worthy 
of  being  entrusted  with  Admiralty  engines. 
Napier,  however,  had  now  some  powerful 
friends,  and  owing  to  his  European  reputa- 


70 


ROBERT  NAPIER. 


tion  his  claims  could  not  be  overlooked  ;  so 
in  1837  he  was  afforded  an  opportunity  of 
tendering  to  the  Government,  but  no  busi- 
ness resulted  at  that  time.  His  first  success- 
ful tender  was  made  in  the  spring  of  1838, 
when  he  was  asked  to  offer  for  one  or  two 
sets  of  side-lever  engines  of  280  N.H.P. 

In  view  of  present-day  practice,  the 
details  of  this  offer  are  simple  and  in- 
teresting, and  we  reproduce  them. 


Price— £13,480  per  set. 


Engines 

Boilers 

Water 

Coal-boxes 

Paddle-wheels 


Weight— tons. 

145 


56 
36 
20 

20 


277 


Cylinders,  61  inches. 
Stroke,  6  feet. 
Revolutions,  19. 
Wheels,  27  feet. 
Boiler  pressure,  5  Ib. 


The  whole  of  the  engines  and  machinery  guar- 
anteed to  be  equal  to  the  best  made  in  Britain, 
and  finished  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  Lords 
Commissioners  and  their  engineers. 


ADMIRALTY.  71 

This  tender  was  accepted,  and  the  engines 
were  fitted  in  the  Vesuvius  and  Stromboli, 
vessels  which  took  a  prominent  part  in 
the  bombardment  of  Acre. 

His  influence  must  have  been  consider- 
able and  his  credit  good,  as  on  the  5th 
July  1838  he  received  a  letter  saying, 
"The  Lords  Commissioners  do  not  think 
it  necessary  to  insist  on  your  giving  bond 
for  fulfilling  your  engagement  to  provide 
the  steam  -  engines  you  have  contracted 
for." 

Admiral  Erasmus  Ommanney  was  Captain 
of  the  Vesuvius,  and  after  the  vessel  had 
been  some  years  in  commission  he  wrote 
as  follows  : — 

H.M.S.  Vesuvius,  BEIROUT, 
February  1843. 

DEAR  MR  NAPIER, — You  will  no  doubt,  and 
with  very  good  reason,  call  me  a  shabby  fellow 
for  not  writing  you  since  I  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  being  carried  so  far  by  a  pair  of  your  incom- 


72  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

parable  engines ;  but  I  trust  it  will  be  a  satis- 
faction to  hear  that  they  have  done  their  duty 
well,  and  are  now  almost  as  efficient  as  when 
they  left  Glasgow.  I  am  proud  to  think  they 
have  been  no  expense  to  Government  for  repairs 
since  we  have  been  on  the  station.  .  .  . 

The  Stromboli  is  at  Constantinople,  where  she 
has  been  lying  some  time  with  little  work ;  but 
I  believe  she  is  still  in  perfect  order  about  her 
engines.  .  .  . 

There  has  no  vessel  done  her  work  equal  to 
the  Vesuvius;  always  been  ready  when  wanted, 
never  had  a  screw  loose.  .  .  . 

Several  of  your  old  apprentices  are  out  here. 
I  send  you  a  small  calculation  of  what  we  have 
done  since  we  have  been  employed  the  two  first 
years. 

In  grateful  recollection  of  kind  attention  to  me. 
I  hope  yourself  and  family  continue  to  enjoy 
health  and  prosperity,  of  which  I  shall  be  glad 
to  hear  if  you  have  leisure. — Believe  me,  yours 
very  truly,  ERASMUS  OMMANNEY, 

Captain. 

In  the  meantime  there  was  a  cessation 
of  orders  from  the  Government,  probably 
from  a  desire  to  return  to  the  old  re- 


ADMIRALTY.  73 

strictive  policy  of  limiting  the  field  to 
English  engineers.  Napier,  however,  was 
not  a  man  to  be  set  aside  lightly,  and 
he  had  powerful  friends.  He  was  confi- 
dent in  the  superlative  excellence  of  his 
work,  and,  much  to  the  annoyance  of  Sir 
W.  Symonds,  who  was  then  Surveyor  of 
the  Navy,  Mr  Robert  Gore  moved  in  Par- 
liament for  a  return  of 

the  names  of  marine -engine  makers  with  whom 
the  Admiralty  had  made  contracts  for  engines 
from  the  year  1839-1843  inclusive,  with  the 
amount  of  horse  -  power  ordered  from  each  of 
such  engine-makers  in  each  year ;  of  the  original 
cost  of  the  engines  of  her  Majesty's  steam -vessels, 
Alecto,  Devastation,  Geyzer,  Cyclops,  Prometheus, 
Polyphemus,  Vesuvius,  and  Stromboli,  specifying 
any  extra  charge  beyond  contract  price,  and  if 
such  engines  were  fitted  with  an  indicator;  of 
repairs  and  the  cost  of  such  repairs,  and  the 
number  of  days  and  hours  any  of  said  vessels 
were  incapable  of  performing  their  work  in  con- 
sequence of  such  repairs,  and  of  the  names  of 
the  makers  of  each  of  the  said  vessels. 


74 


ROBERT  NAPIER. 


This  return  was  granted,  and  a  synopsis 
of  it  is  given  in  the  following  table  : — 


SKAWARD. 

MAUDSLAY. 

NAPIER. 

Alecto. 

i 

0 

Cyclops. 

Prometheus. 

Polyphemus. 

Devastation. 

Vesuvius. 

Stromboli. 

N.H.P. 

200 

273 

320 

192 

200 

420 

295 

280 

Days  under  repair 

393 

50 

164 

353 

162 

92 

38 

51 

Days  in  commission 

1,173 

273 

912 

1,095 

639 

486 

912 

942 

Days  in  1000  under 

335 

183 

180 

320 

253 

189 

42 

54 

repair 

Cost  of  repairs 

£1,158 

89 

800 

1,012 

240 

250 

38 

68 

Cost  of  engines 

£10,997 

14,373 

23,009 

11,015 

10,914 

19,331 

13,880 

13,480 

Expense  of  repairs 
for  every  £10,000 
of  first  cost 

£1,053 

62 

347 

918 

220 

129 

27 

50 

Cost  of  repairs 

£1,158 

89 

800 

1,012 

240 

250 

38 

68 

Time  in  commission 

1,173 

273 

912 

1,095 

639 

486 

912 

942 

Expense  of  repairs 
per    day    during 

19/8| 

6/6i 

17/8J 

18/6} 

7/6 

10/3| 

0/10 

l/5i 

commission 

As  the  table  sets  forth,  Napier's  engines 
were  shown  to  cost  the  nation  at  first  less 
money  than  those  made  by  the  English 
contractors,  and  also  to  compare  most 


ADMIRALTY.  75 

favourably  with  them  in  the  amounts  spent 
on  repairs.  As  a  result,  from  that  time  for- 
ward he  became  one  of  the  most  trusted  of 
the  Admiralty's  contractors  and  advisers. 

One  of  the  first  requests  they  made  to 
him  was  for  advice  on  the  Boiler  question, 
which  seems,  even  at  that  early  date,  to 
have  been  troubling  the  official  mind.  As 
his  reply  is  instructive,  we  give  a  long 
extract  from  his  letter. 

"GLASGOW,  5th  March  1844. 
"  To  the  Secretary  of  the  Admiralty. 

"Sin, — In  complying  with  the  request  of 
my  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty, 
as  contained  in  Sir  John  Burrow's  letter 
of  the  8th  February,  regarding  tubular 
boilers,  &c.,  I  have  been  led,  by  the  con- 
sideration of  the  subject,  to  take  a  more 
general  view  of  steam  machinery  and 
vessels  than  I  had  at  first  intended,  and 
have  now  the  honour  of  submitting  to  my 


76  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Lords  the  following  statement  received 
from  James  Napier  (i.e.,  his  brother),  giving 
his  experience  in  the  construction  and  use 
of  Patent  Tubular  Boilers  in  steam  vessels 
from  the  year  1831,  together  with  my  views 
of  boilers  arid  machinery  for  steamers. 

In  1831  I  constructed  boilers  for  the  Aimwell 
steamer,  having  tubes  4  inches  in  diameter  and 
8  feet  long;  in  1832,  boilers  for  the  Duke  of  Lan- 
caster, having  tubes  5  inches  diameter  and  9  feet 
long ;  in  1833,  boilers  for  the  Royal  William,  from 
Leith  to  London,  with  tubes  7  inches  diameter  and 
14  feet  long;  and  subsequently  boilers  for  the 
Royal  Adelaide  and  Royal  Victoria,  also  from 
Leith  to  London,  with  tubes  8  inches  diameter  and 
16  feet  long;  in  1840,  the  Bonnie  Dundee,  with 
tubes  11  inches  diameter  and  14  feet  long, — all 
of  which  gave  entire  satisfaction.  From  the  above 
examples,  and  a  number  of  others,  it  was  found 
that  from  4  to  6  feet  of  communicating  surface  in 
tubular  boilers  was  as  effective  as  8  or  10  feet  in 
common  boilers,  and  that  in  all  tubular  boilers  it 
required  great  attention  to  be  paid  to  have  ample 
area  for  draft.  .  .  . 

I  have  in  general  found  it  advisable  to  have 
tubes  of  larger  diameter  in  order  to  ensure  a  good 


ADMIRALTY.  77 

draft  and  proper  combustion  rather  than  tubes 
of  a  smaller  diameter  with  the  same  area,  although 
the  latter  might  contain  more  heating  surface,  and 
this  more  especially  for  vessels  intended  for  long 
voyages  or  for  general  service  where  bituminous 
coal,  giving  out  a  good  deal  of  smoke,  must 
frequently  be  used.  ...  It  has  been  found  by 
experience  that  the  quantity  of  heat  communi- 
cated to  the  water  is  fully  three  times  more  in 
the  fire  -  box  than  in  the  tubes,  the  surfaces  in 
both  being  equal.  This,  in  my  opinion,  does  not 
arise  solely  from  the  greater  intensity  of  heat  in 
the  fire-box,  but  also  from  the  heat  resting  on, 
or  passing  along,  the  surface  of  the  fire-box  with  a 
lower  velocity  than  in  the  tubes,  which  confirms 
what  I  have  advanced  in  regard  to  the  advantage 
of  large  tubes  in  preference  to  very  small  ones. 

Subjoined  are  dimensions  of  tubes  which  I  would 
consider  suitable  for  vessels  having  a  medium 
length  allowed  in  the  engine-room  for  boilers : — 

3-inch  tubes,  7  feet  long  for  150  horse-power. 
4-inch  tubes,  8  feet  long  for  200  horse-power. 
5-inch  tubes,  9  feet  long  for  250  horse-power. 
6-inch  tubes,  10  feet  long  for  300  horse-power. 
7-inch  tubes,  11  feet  long  for  380  horse-power. 
8-inch  tubes,  12  feet  long  for  400  horse-power. 

JAMES  NAPIER. 


78  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"Although  it  may  be  held  as  an  axiom 
that  the  greatest  amount  of  power  with  the 
least  weight  carried  and  the  smallest  space 
occupied  by  machinery  are  beneficial  for  a 
vessel,  this,  when  applied  to  boilers  and 
machinery,  may  nevertheless  in  practice  be 
carried  to  an  extent  that  would  be  highly 
improper  and  injurious. 

"For  example,  tubular  boilers,  if  con- 
structed to  contain  only  a  very  small 
quantity  of  water  with  a  very  large  amount 
of  heating  surface  and  a  very  small  area  of 
ebullition  and  separation,  are  unfit  for 
giving  out  heat  in  a  regular  steady  manner, 
and  of  being  maintained  in  a  proper  state 
under  the  most  skilful  and  careful  arrange- 
ment, but  will  on  the  contrary  vary  sen- 
sibly with  every  increase  or  diminution  of 
the  intensity  of  the  fires.  .  .  . 

"The  injurious  effect  is  even  greater,  in 
my  opinion,  in  regard  to  steam-engines 
when  concentrated  in  the  smallest  space 


ADMIRALTY.  79 

with  the  least  quantity  and  weight  of 
materials.  .  .  .  "Whenever  machinery  is 
carried  to  the  extreme  of  lightness  in  its 
proportion  as  compared  to  power,  and  the 
different  parts  so  crowded  and  concentrated 
together,  its  efficiency  and  durability  can 
hardly  fail  of  being  impaired,  even  when 
the  very  best  quality  of  materials,  combined 
with  the  greatest  care,  skill,  and  attention, 
are  employed  in  construction.  .  .  . 

"From  the  experience  I  have  had  for 
many  years  in  constructing  and  fitting  out 
steamers  of  all  kinds  for  war  and  mercan- 
tile purposes,  and  the  many  opportunities 
I  have  had  in  the  course  of  business  of 
seeing  and  examining  almost  every  variety 
of  steamer,  and  of  learning  the  great  exer- 
tions that  other  countries  have  been  and  are 
making  for  ascertaining  the  best  forms  and 
proportions  for  vessels  and  engines  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  steam  navies  with 
the  view  of  competing  with  that  of  this 


80  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

country,  I  trust  my  Lords  will  pardon  the 
liberty  I  take  in  making  a  few  observations 
and  suggestions  relative  to  this  subject. 

"I  am  aware  that  many  experienced 
officers  and  others  connected  with  the 
Navy  are  of  the  opinion  that  steam-vessels 
for  the  purposes  of  war  and  ocean  naviga- 
gation  should  have  the  length  only  equal 
to  about  five  times  the  breadth  of  beam. 
In  so  far  as  the  strength  of  ships  is  con- 
cerned these  short  proportions  may  be 
quite  unobjectionable,  but  before  any  vessel 
can  be  entitled  to  be  called  a  good  steamer 
she  ought  not  merely  to  be  strong,  but  in 
every  other  respect  to  be  completely  suited 
and  adapted  for  the  particular  service  on 
which  she  is  to  be  employed.  .  .  . 

"  My  decided  opinion  is  that  steamers  for 
war  and  general  service  navigating  the 
ocean  should  never  be  less  in  length  than 
six  times  the  breadth  of  their  midship 
section  unless  some  special  purpose  de- 


ADMIRALTY.  81 

mands  another  proportion.  .  .  . — I  have 
the  honour  to  be,  Sir,  your  most  humble 
obedient  servant,  R.  NAPIER." 

In  those  days  the  Admiralty  were  by 
no  means  pioneers,  and  it  was  only  after 
the  difficulties  connected  with  experiment- 
ing had  been  successfully  overcome  in  the 
mercantile  marine  that  what  were  no  longer 
novelties  were  adopted.  A  very  different 
state  of  matters  now  prevails  at  Whitehall, 
where  the  opposite  course  is  followed,  and 
costly  experiments  are  occasionally  resorted 
to,  often  with  disastrous  results. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

LANCEFIELD  HOUSE. 

ACQUISITION    OF    LANCEFIELD DEFEATS   CLYDE    TRUSTEES — JAMES 

NAPIER — JOHN    WOOD FOUNDING     OF    JOHN    REID    &    CO. 

CONNECTION    WITH    MUIRKIRK    IRON    WORKS LETTER    FROM 

LORD    GEORGE    BENTINCK. 

IT  has  been  previously  mentioned  that 
there  existed  an  intimate  connection  be- 
tween Robert  and  his  cousin,  David  Napier, 
from  whom  he  had  acquired  the  Camlachie 
Foundry.  Robert  was  now  carrying  on  an 
extensive  business  in  the  Yulcan  Works, 
but  finding  them  too  small  to  overtake  the 
contracts  offered  him,  he  again  approached 
his  cousin  in  a  characteristic  letter. 

"WHITEVALE,  1th  Nov.  1835,  8  P.M. 

"DEAR  COUSIN, — I  once  heard  you  say 
that   you   would    either   let    or   sell   your 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  83 

premises  at  Lancefield.  Are  you  so  dis- 
posed still  ?  If  so,  the  rent  for  the  whole, 
or  the  lowest  price  for  the  whole,  and 
the  terms  of  payment  ?  At  present  I 
could  not  venture  to  withdraw  cash  from 
my  business  to  pay  you  cash,  but  I  would 
pay  part. — I  am,  yours  sincerely, 

"  R.  NAPIER." 

David  seemed  desirous  of  leaving  Glas- 
gow, and  the  negotiations  thus  abruptly 
entered  on  were  concluded  at  once,  as 
the  following  letter  shows  : — 

LANCEFIELD,  llth  Nov.  1835. 

DEAR  COUSIN,  —  I  hereby  become  bound  to 
let  to  you  for  twelve  years  from  Whitsunday 
next,  the  whole  heritable  property  belonging 
to  me  at  Lancefield  for  £500  a -year,  payable 
in  equal  instalments  at  Martinmas  and  Whit- 
sunday, you  having  a  right  to  purchase  it  within 
the  first  seven  years  of  the  lease  on  paying 
£20,000.  If  a  sale  takes  place,  £5000  to  be 
paid  down  in  cash,  and  the  remainder  in  equal 


84  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

instalments,  including  interest ;  and  during  the 
other  five  years  of  the  lease  I  shall  not  be  at 
liberty  to  sell  it  without  first  offering  it  to  you. 
During  the  course  of  the  lease  you  pay  all  public 
burdens. — I  am,  dear  Cousin, 

DAVID  NAPIER. 


On  completion  of  the  agreement,  Robert 
at  once  removed  his  residence  from  White- 
vale  to  Lancefield  House,  and  it  may  be 
noted  in  passing  that  he  exercised  his  right 
of  purchase  within  the  stipulated  time,  and 
became  proprietor  in  1841.  The  Lance- 
field  property  included  a  tidal  basin ;  and 
in  after  years  the  Clyde  Trustees,  in  a 
very  hectoring  and  bullying  manner,  en- 
deavoured to  take  this  away,  even  threat- 
ening force,  to  which  threat  Napier  rejoined 
that  he  would  repel  force  by  force.  They 
then  engaged  in  litigation,  and  the  upshot 
of  the  matter  was  that  Napier  succeeded 
in  thoroughly  defeating  them,  getting  a 
special  Act  of  Parliament,  by  which 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  85 

he    remained    undisputed    master    of    his 
dock. 

In  the  closing  years  of  his  life  it  was 
purchased  by  the  Trustees  at  a  very  large 
price.  In  fact,  he  got  twice  as  much  for 
the  dock  as  he  paid  for  the  whole  Lance- 
field  property. 

About  this  time  he  entered  into  a  new 
agreement  with  his  manager,  Mr  Elder, 
for  a  period  of  seven  years.  His  salary 
was  to  be  £250  per  annum,  and  7s.  6d. 
for  each  Nominal  Horse-Power  his  em- 
ployer contracted  for,  which  bonus  came 
to  a  large  sum.  There  was  an  unusual 
clause  introduced  into  the  contract — viz., 
that  Elder  was  to  have  the  right  of  making 
plans  for  his  own  private  use.  When  this 
engagement  expired  it  was  renewed  for 
other  five  years,  and  Napier,  in  an  inter- 
esting postscript  to  a  letter  written  in 
November  1842  to  his  friend  Mr  Moncrieff, 
says  :  "  You  will  perceive  Mr  Elder  and 


86  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

I  have  arranged,  in  the  spirit  of  true 
friendship,  for  another  lease  of  each  other's 
services  for  five  years,  if  we  are  spared 
together  so  long.  If  all  is  right  with  both 
of  us,  it  should  nearly,  I  think,  terminate 
the  laborious  and  active  part  of  our  lives." 
His  prognostications,  however,  were  so  far 
from  being  fulfilled  that  he  continued 
actively  engaged  in  business  for  nearly 
thirty-five  years  after  this  date. 

In  those  days  it  was  customary  to  have 
engagements  extending  over  a  period  of 
years  with  leading  hands  and  foremen. 
Thus  in  1828  Mr  Napier  had  brought 
James  Thomson  from  Manchester  to  act 
as  leading  smith,  finisher,  and  turner  for 
a  period  of  years.  He  was  to  receive 
the  sum  of  £10  to  defray  the  expense 
of  conveying  his  family  from  Manchester  to 
Glasgow,  and  a  wage  of  36s.  per  week,  to 
be  paid  fortnightly ;  and  a  formal  stamped 
document  was  drawn  out  embodying  this 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  87 

agreement.  A  new  engagement  was  en- 
tered into  on  8th  June  1838,  reading 
thus : — 

It  is  hereby  agreed  between  James  Thomson 
and  Robert  Napier  that  the  said  James  Thomson 
shall  give  the  whole  of  his  personal  services 
for  the  term  of  five  years  from  and  after  this 
date.  On  the  other  hand,  Robert  Napier  to 
pay  the  said  James  Thomson  a  yearly  salary  of 
£120  sterling,  with  a  bonus  of  £5  for  every 
pair  of  engines  that  are  finished  and  set  agoing 
from  the  Works  of  Vulcan  and  Lancefield  Foun- 
dries, commencing  with  the  following  engines : 
The  Victorias,  Fire  King's,  Glow-worm's,  Aber- 
deen and  Arran  Company's  engines ;  these 
bonuses  to  be  paid  at  the  end  of  each  year 
for  all  engines  set  agoing  and  finished  during 
the  preceding  year ;  and  we  agree  to  put  this 
on  stamp  paper. 

Witness        R.  NAPIER. 

H  JAMES  THOMSON. 

About  the  same  time  he  engaged  George, 
brother  of  James  Thomson,  as  foreman 
of  Lancefield  Works  on  somewhat  similar 


88  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

terms.  James  Thomson  by-and-by  acquired 
some  capital,  and  in  1847  he  left  Mi- 
Napier's  employment,  and,  along  with 
his  brother,  founded  the  firm  of  Messrs 
James  &  George  Thomson,  known  after- 
wards as  the  Clydebank  Shipbuilding 
Company.  Messrs  Thomson  removed  their 
works  from  Glasgow  to  Clydebank  about 
1870,  and  the  firm  has  now  become  in- 
corporated with  the  Coal,  Steel,  and 
Armour-plate  Company  of  John  Brown 
&  Co.,  Sheffield  and  Clydebank. 

Although  helped  by  able  foremen,  many 
of  whom  afterwards  struck  out  for  them- 
selves, the  business  depended  largely  on 
Napier's  own  personal  exertions ;  and  as 
he  was  often  called  away,  his  affairs  were 
very  apt  to  get  into  confusion.  His  wife's 
cousin,  Mr  John  M 'In tyre  (whose  son,  Mr 
James  M'Intyre,  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  firm  of  Napier  &  M'Intyre,  was  also  at 
Vulcan  Foundry),  had  acted  as  his  factotum 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  89 

for  many  years.  His  death,  which  took 
place  in  1840,  left  his  employer  in  a 
dilemma,  as  he  had  no  person  in  his  estab- 
lishment whom  in  his  absence  he  could 
absolutely  trust  with  the  management  of 
aifairs. 

In  this  extremity  he  turned  to  his 
brother  James,  who  was  then  in  partner- 
ship with  his  cousin  William,  under  the 
style  of  "  James  &  William  Napier."  This 
firm  owned  the  Swallow  Foundry  in  Wash- 
ington Street,  and  had  a  good  reputation 
as  engineers  and  boiler  -  makers.  James 
Napier  was  the  inventor  of  the  tubular 
boiler,  for  which  he  took  out  a  patent  in 
1830,  and  in  the  same  year  introduced  it 
successfully  into  steam  -  vessels.  At  first 
the  introduction  was  attended  with  no 
small  difficulty,  and,  to  use  the  inventor's 
own  words,  "his  firm  had  to  contend  with 
ignorant  and  interested  prejudices,  and 
to  give  guarantees  of  security,  and  sub- 


90  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

mit  to  penalties  and  responsibilities  in  their 
contracts  for  these  boilers  which  no  other 
engineer  in  the  regular  course  of  his 
business  would  ever  submit  to."  He  was 
a  great  authority  on  boilers,  and  his  report 
submitted  to  the  Admiralty  has  already 
been  referred  to. 

A  patent  for  a  steam-carriage  was  taken 
out  by  him  in  conjunction  with  his  Inver- 
aray  cousin,  Mr  David  Napier  of  London, 
grandfather  of  the  present  well-known 
maker  of  motor-cars.  At  that  time,  how- 
ever, the  difficulty  of  constructing  a  light 
and  satisfactory  boiler  was  insurmountable, 
and  the  carriage  was  not  a  success. 

It  may  also  be  mentioned  that  James 
and  William  Napier  were  among  the  first 
to  build  steamers  of  iron,  a  material  then 
only  beginning  to  be  used  for  shipbuilding. 

No  great  inducement  was  offered  to 
James  to  give  up  his  own  business,  where 
he  had  overcome  the  initial  difficulties,  and 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  91 

in  which  he  had  good  prospect  of  success ; 
but  being  very  loyal  to  his  eldest  brother, 
who  had  a  personal  ascendancy  over  all  the 
members  of  his  family,  he  was  persuaded 
to  dissolve  partnership  with  his  cousin  and 
come  to  Yulcan  Foundry  to  take  charge  of 
Robert's  commercial  affairs.  The  oversight 
of  financial  concerns  was  hardly  his  rdle,  as 
his  bent  was  mechanical ;  and  though  over- 
shadowed by  his  brother,  he  was  perhaps 
the  more  able  engineer  of  the  two. 

While  he  endeavoured  to  confine  him- 
self to  general  business,  his  engineering 
instincts  occasionally  asserted  themselves. 
Thus  at  the  time  when  the  side-levers  in 
some  of  the  Cunard  vessels  cracked,  and 
Elder,  the  manager,  attributed  the  cause 
to  defective  iron,  suggesting  as  the  only 
remedy  that  these  ponderous  pieces  should 
be  made  entirely  of  brass,  thereby  making 
the  cost  of  this  type  of  engine  prohibitive, 
James  Napier  pointed  out  that  the  fault 


92  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

lay  in  bad  design,  due  allowance  not 
having  been  made  for  expansion.  He  pre- 
dicted further  failures,  which  actually  took 
place,  and  in  the  end  his  suggestions  for 
remedying  the  defects  were  adopted. 

At  a  later  date,  when  in  London,  view- 
ing the  Great  Eastern  while  she  was  on  the 
stocks,  he  gave  an  opinion  that  the  launch 
would  not  be  successful,  as  he  personally 
had  experienced  trouble  with  launching 
vessels  broadside.  The  secretary  of  the 
company,  who  did  not  happen  to  know  him, 
derided  his  remarks  as  the  views  of  an 
ignorant  man,  and  he  was  somewhat  sur- 
prised at  Mr  Napier's  acquaintance  with 
Mr  Scott  Russell  when  the  latter  cordially 
welcomed  him.  As  is  well  known  the 
launch  was  unsuccessful,  trouble  arising 
exactly  in  the  way  Napier  had  anticipated. 
While  regretting  the  accident,  he  could  not 
forget  the  secretary's  incivility,  and  the 
paragraph  announcing  it  was  promptly  cut 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  93 

out  of  the  newspaper  and  sent  him,  with 
the  grim  remark,  "  From  Mr  James  Napier, 
the  result  of  his  experience." 

James  Napier's  connection  with  his 
brother's  business  lasted  from  1841  till  a 
short  time  before  his  death,  which  took 
place  in  1873.  During  this  period  he  kept 
a  sharp  control  over  the  financial  arrange- 
ments, and  there  is  no  doubt  that  his 
brother  was  much  indebted  to  him  for  the 
supervision  of  his  commercial  affairs,  which 
were  left  entirely  in  his  hands.  He  was  a 
fearless  man,  of  sterling  upright  character, 
a  great  favourite  with  all,  and  familiarly 
known  by  the  workmen  and  others  as 
"Uncle  James." 

Outside  of  his  immediate  establishment 
the  person  with  whom  Mr  Napier  came 
into  closest  business  connection  was  his 
much  esteemed  friend  Mr  Wood,  who  built 
the  hulls  of  most  of  the  wooden  steamers 
which  he  engined.  John  Wood  was  born 


94  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

in  1788,  and  learnt  the  elements  of  his  pro- 
fession from  his  father,  who  was  a  ship- 
builder in  Port- Glasgow.  With  a  view  to 
acquiring  the  best  knowledge  of  his  trade 
he  went  to  Lancaster,  then  a  shipbuilding 
centre,  and  served  under  a  Mr  Brocklebank 
for  two  years.  There  was  an  interesting 
parallel  between  his  early  days  and  those 
of  David  Napier,  as,  owing  to  his  father's 
death  in  1811,  he  had  to  undertake  the 
task  of  constructing  the  Comet,  which  his 
father  had  contracted  to  build.  He  sub- 
sequently built  a  great  number  of  river- 
steamers  engined  by  David  Napier,  and 
afterwards  steamers  for  deep-sea  navigation 
engined  by  Kobert  Napier,  the  largest  of 
these  being  the  Cunard  steamer  Europa. 

Mr  Wood,  while  possessing  the  most 
eminent  attainments,  was  of  a  very  modest 
and  retiring  disposition.  He  was  the  most 
celebrated  builder  of  wooden  ships  of  his 
time,  his  vessels  being  specially  strong, 


LANCEF1ELD  HOUSE.  95 

and  having  a  reputation  for  beauty  and 
symmetry  of  form.  Mr  Napier  was  so 
satisfied  with  his  work  that  he  wished 
him  to  construct  all  the  first  steamers  Mr 
Cunard  ordered  ;  but  he  would  only  under- 
take one,  the  Acadia.  "Writing  to  Mr 
Wood  in  1841,  he  says  :  "  I  have  uniformly 
in  England  and  Scotland  held  you  and 
your  work  up  as  a  pattern  of  all  that  was 
excellent,  and  I  have  never  yet  had  it 
proved  to  me  that  I  was  mistaken." 

Mr  Napier's  only  sister  was  married  to 
Mr  Archibald  Reid,  and  on  his  death  in 
1837  his  business  was  taken  up  by  Mr 
"Wood,  Mr  Napier,  Mr  M'Intyre,  and  Mr 
John  Reid,  who  carried  it  on  under  the 
style  of  Messrs  John  Reid  &  Co. 

"With  the  advent  of  iron  shipbuilding  Mr 
Wood's  trade  was  gone,  and  he  practically 
retired,  his  business  being  merged  in 
Messrs  Reid's  firm.  In  his  latter  years 
he  resided  at  Port -Glasgow,  where  he 


96  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

died  in  1860  in  the  seventy -third  year  of 
his  age. 

One  of  the  few  enterprises  outside  his 
own  business  with  which  Robert  Napier 
was  connected  was  the  Muirkirk  Iron 
Company,  which  he  joined  in  1834,  Mr 
Ewing  of  Strathleven  being  then  the 
chief  proprietor  of  the  works. 

Lord  George  Bentinck  was  manorial 
lord  of  the  Muirkirk  estate,  and  being  on 
intimate  terms  with  Mr  Assheton  Smith, 
he  took  a  special  interest  in  his  friend's 
acquisition  of  shares  in  the  Company,  and 
wrote  him  several  letters  on  the  subject. 
His  views  on  the  purchase  were  expressed 
in  the  following  letter  : — 

HARCOURT  HOUSE,  March  5,  1834. 

SIR, — I  have  to  apologise  to  you  for  not  having 
sooner  acknowledged  the  honour  of  your  last  letter. 
The  fact  is  I  have  been  so  much  engaged  with  the 
business  of  Parliament  and  of  my  constituents  that 
I  really  have  had  no  time  to  attend  to  my  own. 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  97 

Since  I  received  your  letter  I  have  spoken  with 
Mr  Ewing,  who  agrees  to  postpone  all  further 
discussion  of  the  subject  till  we  can  all  meet  in 
town  at  the  end  of  April  or  beginning  of  May. 

I  hear  from  Kilmarnock  that  you  and  Mr 
Hamilton  have  met,  and  that  you  have  absolutely 
purchased  Mr  Yuill's  share  for  a  price  equivalent 
to  £11,500  for  the  whole.  I  sincerely  trust  you 
may  not  find  that  you  have  paid  too  dearly.  My 
valuer  estimated  the  materials  of  the  work  at 
£6812,  18s.  2d.,  and  the  Company's  estimate  did 
not  exceed  £7089,  16s.  2d.  The  stone,  mortar, 
brick,  and  wood-work  of  course  are  worth  nothing 
to  sell,  whatever  they  may  have  cost  in  the 
original  erection.  Of  course,  therefore,  had  the 
works  been  abandoned,  £7089,  16s.  2d.  would 
have  been  the  outside  price  that  the  Company 
could  have  obtained  for  the  works;  and  it  is 
therefore  all  that  you  should  have  paid  for  them. 
It  is  true  that  when  I  stated  this  to  Mr  Ewing 
that  gentleman  threw  out  a  hint  that  he  would 
batter  down  the  walls  with  a  park  of  artillery 
rather  than  sell  them  standing  for  the  breaking-up 
price  ;  but  I  need  not  say  that  he  must  have  been 
in  joke  and  could  not  have  been  in  earnest,  for 
considering  the  fatal  effects  of  such  a  course  of 
conduct  upon  the  existence  of  his  old  servants  the 

G 


98  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Company's  workmen,  he  must  have  been  worse 
than  an  African  savage  or  a  Muscovite  barbarian, 
— in  fact,  he  must  have  been  a  devil  incarnate 
to  have  entertained  seriously  for  one  moment  so 
monstrous  a  thought.  But  Mr  Ewing  is  pro- 
verbially a  warm-hearted  man,  with  a  polished 
mind,  and  of  course,  therefore,  as  I  said  before, 
he  was  merely  in  joke. 

Now  in  reference  to  my  mention  to  you  in  a 
former  letter  that  Mr  Ewing  had  represented  the 
profits  of  the  Muirkirk  Iron  Works  to  have  been 
in  two  separate  years  once  £17,000  and  the  other 
time  £30,000,  you  will  recollect  that  /  did  not 
guarantee  the  fact,  I  only  guaranteed  the  state- 
ment by  Mr  Ewing  of  such  being  the  fact.  With 
respect  to  the  fact  itself,  of  course,  as  I  was  not 
at  that  time  manorial  lord  of  those  works,  I  could 
of  my  own  knowledge  know  nothing.  And  it 
is  fair  to  say  that  I  am  inclined  to  be  of  opinion 
that  Mr  Ewing  is  apt  to  think  his  geese  swans, 
and  especially  on  that  particular  occasion  when, 
in  trying  to  persuade  me  to  give  £20,000  for  the 
works  to  the  real  intrinsic  and  bona  fide  value 
of  which  I  have  above  referred,  I  really  do  believe 
he  talked  and  wrote  not  me  but  himself  into 
believing  that  the  whole  concern  had  been  much 


LANCEFIELD  HOUSE.  99 

more  profitable,  and  was  altogether  a  much  finer 
thing  than  the  reality  could  warrant. 

I  have  troubled  you  at  too  great  length,  and  in 
having  done  so  I  beg  to  apologise,  whilst  I  have 
the  honour  to  remain,  Sir,  your  obedt.  humble 
servant,  G.  BENTINCK. 

To  R  NAPIER,  Esq. 

Napier's  connection  with  Muirkirk  ex- 
tended over  a  period  of  ten  years,  during 
which  time  he  acted  as  the  Company's 
engineer.  He  gave  great  attention  to  the 
business,  and  made  frequent  journeys  to 
the  works,  which  were  managed  by  his 
friend  Mr  Carswell,  through  whom  he  had 
been  induced  to  join  the  enterprise. 

Lord  George  Bentinck  was  a  shrewd 
man,  and  his  views  regarding  Muirkirk 
were  in  the  main  correct.  The  business 
was  far  from  lucrative,  and  on  the  expiry 
of  the  contract  of  copartnery  Napier  was 
glad  to  terminate  his  connection  with  it. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

> 

ATLANTIC   NAVIGATION. 

EARLY   ATTEMPTS — LETTER   TO    MR   PATRICK   WALLACE — PROPOSAL 
PALLS    THROUGH  —  INCEPTION     OP    BRITISH    AND    AMERICAN 

COMPANY ENGINES    BRITISH    QUEEN RESULTS FAILURE 

OP   COMPANY. 

IT  is  now  incumbent  on  us  to  show  the 
part  that  Kobert  Napier  took  in  the 
inception  of  Atlantic  steam  navigation. 
Hitherto  what  he  had  undertaken  to  do 
had  been  successfully  accomplished,  and 
his  work  had  been  characterised  by  great 
thoroughness ;  but  at  the  same  time  it 
must  be  remembered  that  nearly  all  the 
vessels  had  been  built  for  short  -  distance 
runs  in  comparatively  quiet  waters. 

When  he  undertook  the  contract  for  the 
Dundee  boats  he  said  he  had  a  purpose  in 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.         101 

view,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  this 
object  was  to  build  an  Atlantic  steamer. 

Between  Britain  and  America  there 
was  at  this  time  a  regular  and  increasing 
trade  conducted  by  sailing-packets. 

In  1819  the  Savannah,  a  small  sailing- 
ship  of  350  tons,  with  auxiliary  paddles, 
came  across  from  America  to  this  country 
partly  under  steam,  but  chiefly  under  sail. 
Her  performance,  however,  was  considered 
so  unsatisfactory  that  her  engines  were 
taken  out  in  the  following  year,  and  up 
to  the  end  of  1832  no  further  attempt 
was  made  to  cross  by  steam. 

In  August  1833  the  Royal  William 
steamed  over  from  Quebec,  but  prior  to 
this  date  the  subject  of  trans- Atlantic  navi- 
gation had  been  fully  dealt  with  by  Napier. 

In  the  beginning  of  1833  he  was  con- 
sulted by  Mr  Patrick  Wallace  of  London 
regarding  a  regular  service  of  steam- vessels 
betwixt  Liverpool  and  New  York,  and 


102  ROBERT  NAPIER 

his  reply,  dated  3rd  April  of  that  year, 
is  subjoined.  The  letter  is  a  long  one, 
but  we  reproduce  it  in  its  entirety  as 
showing  how  carefully  Napier  had  studied 
the  problem  in  all  its  bearings,  and  what  a 
clear  conception  he  had  of  the  whole  situa- 
tion, of  the  requirements  of  the  trade,  and 
the  size,  speed,  and  strength  of  the  vessels 
necessary  for  success.  This  forecast  is  all 
the  more  remarkable,  as  he  had  nothing  to 
guide  him,  and  the  opinions  of  professed 
experts  such  as  Dr  Dionysius  Lardner  were 
not  encouraging. 

"  VULCAN  FOUNDRY,  GLASGOW, 
3rd  April  1833. 

"  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  sorry  that  it  has  been 
out  of  my  power  to  write  you  sooner. 
I  now  send  you  my  opinion,  with  some 
remarks  about  the  proposed  speculation 
for  establishing  steam-vessels  betwixt  Liver- 
pool and  New  York,  with  an  estimate  of 
the  probable  cost  of  fitting  out  and  sailing 
these  vessels.  Before  going  into  details, 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.          103 

I  may  mention  that  I  have  endeavoured 
to  state  everything  as  fairly  and  candidly 
as  possible,  so  as  not  to  mislead  you  or 
your  friends,  and  have  rather  overestimated 
the  cost  and  expense  than  otherwise. 
The  amount  of  revenue,  I  am  aware,  can 
only  be  an  approximation  to  the  truth, 
for  in  all  new  undertakings  of  any  magni- 
tude many  things  occur  that  cannot  be 
foreseen ;  but  judging  from  what  has 
taken  place  in  other  stations  where  steam- 
vessels  have  been  introduced,  it  is  reason- 
able to  calculate  upon  a  very  great  increase 
of  revenue  in  a  short  time.  But  in  an 
undertaking  of  such  magnitude  as  the 
one  proposed,  it  is  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance that  the  whole  be  reviewed  in  a  broad 
and  liberal  manner  at  the  outset,  and 
everything  that  can  be  brought  to  bear 
either  for  or  against  the  interest  of  the 
speculation,  fairly  weighed  and  balanced 
before  anything  is  decided  upon.  If  your 
friends  are  in  earnest  about  entering  upon 


104  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

the  speculation,  they  should  make  up 
their  minds  to  meet  with  strong  opposition 
and  other  difficulties  for  a  short  time. 
But  if  they  enter  upon  it  with  a  deter- 
mination to  meet  opposition  and  difficulties 
spiritedly,  and  to  overcome  them,  then  I 
have  not  the  smallest  doubt  upon  my 
own  mind  but  that  in  a  very  short  time 
it  will  be  one  of  the  best  and  most  lucrative 
businesses  in  the  country,  provided  always 
that  the  Company  set  out  right  at  first 
by  having  first-class  vessels  fully  suited 
for  the  trade  in  every  department.  I 
am  aware  that  in  getting  up  the  first  of 
these  vessels  great  care  and  attention 
will  be  necessary  to  gain  the  different 
objects  in  view,  and  in  doing  this  an  extra 
expense  may  be  incurred,  but  which  may 
be  avoided  in  all  the  other  vessels.  If 
the  practical  difficulties,  &c.,  are  fairly 
surmounted  in  the  first  vessels, — and  which 
I  have  no  doubt  but  they  may, — the  first 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.         105 

cost  and  sailing  expenses  of  the  two  first 
vessels  ought  not  so  much  to  be  taken 
into  account.  In  fact,  I  consider  it  as 
nothing  compared  with  having  them  so 
efficient  as  to  set  all  opposition  at  defiance, 
and  to  give  entire  confidence  to  the  public 
in  all  their  arrangements  and  appointments, 
cost  what  it  may  at  first ;  for  upon  this 
depends  entirely  the  success,  nay,  the 
very  existence,  of  the  Company. 

"I  wish  it  therefore  to  be  impressed 
upon  the  minds  of  your  friends  the  great 
necessity  of  using  every  precaution  that 
can  be  thought  of  to  guard  against  acci- 
dents on  such  a  long  passage,  and  if 
accidents  should  happen,  to  be  prepared 
with  a  remedy  to  meet  any  common  one 
that  may  occur,  as  far  as  possible.  By 
attending  to  this  you  will  give  confidence 
to  the  public  and  comfort  to  yourselves, 
and  in  the  end  I  am  certain  it  will  more 
than  repay  you. 


106  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"The  plan  I  would  propose  with  regard 
to  the  whole  of  the  engineer  department 
is :  I  would  endeavour  to  get  a  very 
respectable  man,  and  one  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  his  business  as  an  engineer ; 
I  would  appoint  this  man  to  be  master 
engineer,  his  duty  to  superintend  and 
direct  all  the  men  and  operations  about 
the  engines  and  boilers,  &c.,  to  be  account- 
able to  the  captain  for  his  conduct — viz., 
to  be  under  the  captain.  All  the  other 
men  for  working  the  engines  should  be 
regular  bred  tradesmen,  and  all  the  firemen 
boiler-makers.  A  workshop,  with  a  com- 
plete set  of  tools  and  duplicates  of  all  the 
parts  of  the  engines  that  are  most  likely 
to  go  wrong,  should  be  on  board.  In  a 
word,  I  would  have  everything  connected 
with  the  machinery  very  strong  and  of  the 
best  materials,  it  being  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  give  confidence  at  first,  for 
should  the  slightest  accident  happen  so  as 
to  prevent  the  vessel  making  her  passage 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.          107 

by  steam,  it  would  be  magnified  by  the 
opposition,  and  thus,  for  a  time  at  least, 
mar  the  progress  of  the  Company.  But 
if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  steam -vessels 
are  successful  in  making  a  few  quick  trips 
at  first,  and  beating  the  sailing  vessels  very 
decidedly,  then  you  may  consider  the  battle 
won  and  the  field  your  own. 

"  With  regard  to  the  size  of  the  vessels,  I 
am  decidedly  of  opinion  they  should  not 
be  less  than  800  tons, — probably  more, — 
and  propelled  by  two  engines  of  not  less 
than  150  horse -power  each,  or  300  in 
whole,  so  as  to  ensure  good  passages  in 
almost  any  kind  of  weather.  The  model 
of  the  vessels  should  be  such  as  is  best 
adapted  for  great  speed,  and  carrying  a 
large  cargo  on  a  moderate  draught  of  water  ; 
but  upon  no  account  should  the  model  be 
sacrificed  for  the  sake  of  cargo,  for  the 
future  success  of  the  Company  depends  in 
having  fast  sailing  steamers  as  well  as  good 
ones. 


108  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"In  the  estimate  I  have  made  of  the 
probable  cost  of  such  vessels  as  will  suit 
your  purpose,  I  have  thought  it  prudent  to 
make  a  considerable  allowance  for  extras 
to  the  two  first  vessels — viz.,  I  have  con- 
sidered the  vessels  completely  ready  for 
sea,  with  everything  on  board  necessary 
for  the  vessel  and  machinery — viz.,  sails, 
rigging,  anchors,  cables,  cabin  furniture 
complete,  engines  and  machinery  dupli- 
cates, tools,  iron  tanks  for  coals,  and  water 
to  trim  the  vessel.  In  a  word,  everything 
complete  for  the  passage. 

"  From  an  official  document  I  have,  I  find 
that  the  number  of  passengers  that  have 
left  the  Clyde  for  two  years  is  as  under  : 

For  New  York — 

In  the  year  1831,  1336  passengers;  and 

In  the  year  1832,  1672  passengers. 
For  the  British  Colonies  in  N.  America — 

In  the  year  1831,  3062  passengers ; 

In  the  year  1832,  3273  passengers. 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.         109 

To  the  above  may  be  added  all  that  leave 
this  country  for  debt,  &c.  From  the  North 
of  Ireland — viz.,  Belfast  and  Londonderry 
— a  very  great  number  of  passengers  go 
annually  to  the  States  and  Colonies.  A 
great  proportion  of  them  could  not  afford 
to  go  by  steam ;  still  there  would  be  a 
number  that  would  go. 

"I  have  mislaid  the  document  I  had  for 
the  average  number  of  passengers  that 
regularly  sail  from  Liverpool  every  week. 
I  am,  however,  in  daily  expectation  of  a 
correct  list  of  the  number  of  the  ships, 
which,  if  I  think  of  any  use  to  you,  I  will 
send  it.  You  no  doubt  are  aware  that  the 
best  time  for  passengers  is  the  spring  and 
fall  of  the  year.  One  of  the  Packet's  ships 
last  fall  had  £1800  of  passage-money  from 
New  York.  The  two  last  ships  that  sailed 
from  Liverpool  had  about  £1000  each  of 
passage  -  money.  Cabin  fare,  35  guineas 
to  New  York  and  30  to  Liverpool ;  fine 


110  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

goods,  Is.  per  foot.  A  Packet  ship  leaves 
Liverpool  every  week.  Besides  the  regular 
Packet  ships,  about  170  vessels  averaging 
400  tons  each  have  left  Liverpool  for  New 
York  from  the  1st  March  1832  to  the  1st 
March  1833,  and  in  the  same  time  about 
90  vessels  about  the  same  burden  have  left 
Liverpool  for  New  Orleans,  making  a  total 
of  260  ships  from  Liverpool,  which  all 
carry  more  or  less  passengers,  a  number  of 
whom  I  have  no  doubt  would  go  by  steam 
were  it  once  fairly  established. 

Supposed  cost  of  a  first-class  steam-ship  complete 
and  ready  for  sea,  with  everything  on  board, 
800  tons  and  300  horse-power — £34,000. 

Sinking  fund,  at  10  years'  purchase         .    £3,400    0    0 
Insurance  (supposed)      ....       3,400    0    0 
Coals  for  6  passages  from  Liverpool,  sup- 
posing the  distance  3168  miles  at  6 
miles  per  hour  =  22  days'  passage,  con- 
sumpt  of  coal  per  horse  25  cwt.  =  660 
tons  for  the  22  days,  and  say  6  trips 
from  Liverpool  per  annum,  660x6  = 
3960  tons  at  8s.  .        .        .        ..    "v      1,584    0    0 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.  Ill 

Coals  for   6   passages  from  New  York, 

supposing    the    passage    16    days    14 

hours  =  8  miles  per  hour,  say  consumpt 

of  coal  500  tons  x  6  =  3000  at  20s.  .  £3,000  0  0 
Keeping  up  engines  and  boiler,  per 

annum 1,000  0  0 

Keeping  up  vessel,  with  all  and  sundry 

necessary  repairs,  per  annum  .  .  1,000  0  0 

Oil  and  tallow,  per  annum  .  .  .  200  0  0 

Lights,  dock-dues,  and  pilotage  (supposed)  700  0  0 
Coal-heavers,  porters,  and  labourers,  per 

annum 500  0  0 

Advertising,  per  annum  .  .  .  .  100  0  0 

Washing  and  dressing,  per  annum  .  .  100  0  0 

Sundries 300  0  0 

Total  amount  of  expenses  per  annum, 
except  the  men's  wages  for  sailing 

the  vessel £15,284  0  0 

Wages — 

Commander £300  0  0 

First  mate 75  0  0 

Second  mate        .                 .        .         .  65  0  0 

Two  carpenters,  at  £52        .        .        .  104  0  0 

Twelve  seamen,  at  £3  per  month         .  432  0  0 

Two  stewards,  at  £52  .        .        .        .  104  0  0 

Cook  and  boy 52  0  0 

Master  engineer 200  0  0 

Three  working  engineers,  at  £104        .  31200 

Eight  firemen,  at  £52  .         .         .         .  416  0  0 

Four  coal-trimmers,  at  £52 .        .        .  208  0  0 

Doctor  104  0  0 


112  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Victualling  the  crew,  37  in  number,  at 

Is.  6d.  per  day  on  an  average  .         .       £900    2    0 

Annual  total  amount  of  wages     .     £3,282    2    0 
Annual  total  amount  of  expenses 

against  vessel  brought  forward .     15,284    0    0 

Total  gross  expenses  per  annum       .  £18,566    2    0 
Average  weekly  expenses,  £357. 

Supposed  revenue — 

Say  6  trips  per  annum  from  Liverpool 

with   100  passengers,  each  trip  at 

£30  each £18,000    0    0 

Say  6  trips  from  New  York,  with  50 

passengers  at  £30  ....       9,000    0    0 
Say  6  trips  from  Liverpool,  with  50 

tons  of  fine  goods  at  £3  per  ton  .         900    0    0 
Say  6  trips  from  New  York,  with  150 

tons  of  goods  at  20s.         .         .         .          900    0    0 

Supposed  gross  revenue         .        .  £28,800    0    0 
Total  gross  expenditure  brought 

over 18,566    0    0 


Annual  profit  on  each  vessel          £10,234   0    0 

"From  all  I  can  judge,  I  am  convinced 
the  number  of  passengers  that  are  likely 
to  go  regularly  are  rather  under  than 
over  stated,  but  I  expect  to  be  able  in 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.         113 

a    few    days    to    form    a    more     correct 
estimate  of  the  whole. 

"I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  putting 
you  to  so  much  postage,  but  really  I 
have  not  time  to  write  you  a  short  letter. 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you,  and 
am,  dear  Sir,  yours  very  truly, 

"  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"  To  PATRICK  WALLACE,  Esq., 
London." 

No  business  resulted  with  Mr  Wallace 
and  his  friends,  and  the  project  fell  through 
from  lack  of  funds. 

A  proposal  was  made  to  Mr  Napier  that 
he  should  put  his  ideas  into  practice  and 
build  a  large  steamer  on  speculation ;  but 
while  he  gave  the  matter  consideration  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  risk  attend- 
ing such  a  venture  would  be  too  great. 
His  view  was  that  the  hull  should  be  about 
220  feet  long,  with  40  feet  beam ;  and  he 

H 


114  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

estimated  the  cost  of  such  a  vessel  with 
large  engines  to  be  about  £50  per  ton.  It 
may  be  noted  that  these  dimensions  were 
approached  in  the  Great  Western  (the  first 
vessel  to  cross  without  re-coaling),  and  ex- 
ceeded in  the  case  of  the  British  Queen, 
which  measured  245  feet  long  by  40  feet 
beam. 

An  opportunity  soon  thereafter  afforded 
itself  of  showing  what  he  could  do  on 
the  Atlantic.  In  1836  the  British  and 
American  Steam  Navigation  Company  was 
formed,  with  a  capital  of  £1,000,000  ster- 
ling. Mr  Macgregor  Laird,  with  whom 
Napier  was  intimate,  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  formation  of  this  Company,  and 
was  appointed  secretary.  The  Company 
resolved  to  order  a  large  steamer,  and  Mr 
Laird  entered  into  negotiations  with  Napier, 
who  offered  to  supply  the  engines,  which 
were  of  unusual  size,  at  £50  per  nominal 
horse-power,  and  to  look  after  the  building 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.          115 

of  the  hull  for  a  fee  of  £1000  sterling. 
Hall's  condensers  were  thought  to  be  desir- 
able ;  but  at  first  Napier  was  not  willing 
to  supply  them,  as  his  limited  experience 
with  such  condensers  had  cast  a  doubt  in 
his  mind  on  their  reliability,  and  he  was 
against  introducing  a  novelty  in  a  large 
pair  of  engines. 

In  October  he  made  a  definite  offer  to 
supply  the  machinery  with  Hall's  con- 
densers for  £20,000  sterling,  but  his  tender 
was  not  accepted,  and  the  order  was  placed 
with  Messrs  Claude  Gird  wood  &  Co.  This 
firm,  however,  was  not  able  to  implement 
the  contract,  and  about  a  year  later  Napier 
was  asked  to  undertake  the  work,  which 
he  did  at  a  price  considerably  above  his 
original  offer. 

The  engines  were  much  larger  than  any 
he  had  hitherto  made,  the  cylinders  being 
77£  inches  and  the  stroke  7  feet.  The  hull 
of  the  vessel  was  built  by  Messrs  Curling  & 


116  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Young  of  London,  but  Napier  took  care  to 
give  the  builders  special  directions  as  to  the 
strength  and  fastening  of  the  engine  keel- 
sons, paddle-beams,  &c.,  so  that  his  ma- 
chinery should  be  rigid ;  and  it  was  said 
that  whatever  else  might  break  up,  the 
part  connected  with  the  engines  would 
stick  together, — a  fact  which  was  brought 
home  to  the  ultimate  purchasers  of  the 
vessel  when  they  dismantled  her. 

The  British  Queen,  which  cost  £60,000 
sterling,  was  a  magnificent  steamer,  and 
much  larger  than  the  early  Cunard  boats. 
There  was  a  very  bitter  feeling  raised  that 
such  a  fine  vessel  built  on  the  Thames  should 
be  engined  in  Scotland,  and  an  acrimonious 
correspondence  on  the  subject  was  carried 
on  for  a  long  time  in  the  '  Mechanics'  Maga- 
zine/ under  the  heading  of  "  London  versus 
Country-made  Engines," — an  attempt  being 
made  to  decry  the  Scottish  contractor. 
Napier's  motto  was  "Deeds,  not  Words," 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION.         117 

and  after  the  vessel  had  been  running  for 
a  year  he  emerged  triumphant,  one  of  the 
correspondents  writing,  "I  will  only  ask 
where  the  engines  of  the  British  Qiceen  can 
be  matched,  in  any  respect  whatever,  either 
for  strength  of  material  in  proportion  to 
their  power,  for  beauty  of  design,  for 
smoothness  while  in  motion,  and  above  all, 
for  the  high  state  of  perfection  in  which 
the  engines  perform  their  duty  ? "  which 
challenge  was  unanswered.  Comparison 
was  instituted  between  the  engines  of  the 
British  Queen  and  those  of  the  Great 
Western,  made  by  Maudslay,  when  it 
transpired  that  the  framing  of  the  latter 
had  given  way  and  required  to  be  patched 
with  malleable  iron  straps. 

The  speed  of  the  vessel  was  taken  from 
an  average  of  the  Dundee  and  Perth  boats, 
and  was  intended  to  be  a  mean  of  9  knots 
an  hour  in  all  weathers,  so  that  she  might 
make  the  passage  from  London  to  New  York 


118  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

in  14  to  15  days.  This  estimated  speed 
was  accomplished  on  service  with  a  daily 
consumption  of  forty  tons  of  coal. 

She  was  launched  in  May  1838,  and  sent 
round  at  once  to  the  Clyde  to  receive  her 
machinery ;  but  from  various  causes  she 
did  not  make  her  first  voyage  till  12th  July 
1839,  sailing  on  that  date  from  Spithead 
with  a  full  complement  of  goods  and 
passengers.  She  made  the  passage  in  15^ 
days,  her  best  day's  steaming  being  240 
knots. 

The  details  of  the  performance  of  what 
was  then  considered  an  Atlantic  greyhound, 
with  boilers  working  at  5  Ib.  pressure,  are 
interesting,  and  we  submit  an  extract  from 
the  engineer's  log,  giving  particulars  of  the 
vessel's  fourth  voyage  from  New  York  to 
London  : — 


ATLANTIC  NAVIGATION. 


119 


ENGINEER'S  Loo,  P.S.  BRITISH  QUEEN. 


Date. 

Steam. 

Vacuum. 

Revolutions. 

Coals. 

Knots 
per  hour. 

Distance. 

April 

Lb. 

Inche 

B. 

Tons  cwt. 

2 

4-8 

30 

14,750 

29     14 

8-0 

172 

3 

4-7 

30 

15,750 

36      0 

9'4 

225 

4 

4'7 

30 

17,500 

39     12 

10-2 

243 

5 

4-8 

29^ 

[ 

15.950 

42      0 

9-6 

235 

6 

5-0 

30' 

i 

15,900 

49       4 

8-6 

205 

7 

4-5 

30 

17,600 

48       0 

9-0 

215 

8 

4-7 

30; 

17,100 

42       0 

8-6 

205 

9 

5-4 

30; 

18,300 

44      8 

9-6 

230 

10 

5-4 

30 

17,450 

46     16 

8-6 

204 

11 

5-6 

30. 

f 

18,240 

40      0 

8-6 

206 

12 

5-7 

30 

19,660 

40      0 

9-2 

220 

13 

5'4 

30 

20,000 

43       4 

10-0 

240 

14 

5-4 

3O 

r 

18,200 

36       2 

9-0 

216 

15 

6-0 

30 

r 

19,750 

40     16 

9-0 

230 

16 

6-0 

30 

r 

19,250 

36      0 

10-0 

180 

Total  number  of  revolutions  from  New  York  to 
Portsmouth,  263,400 ;  total  quantity  of  coals, 
613  tons  16  cwt.  Left  New  York  1st  April 
2.30  P.M.;  arrived  at  Spithead  16th  April  1840 
at  6  P.M. 


The  British  and  American  Company 
originally  contemplated  building  two  ves- 
sels in  America  and  two  in  this  country, 
and  they  intended  to  run  steamers  twice 
a-month  to  New  York,  starting  alternately 
from  London  and  Liverpool.  With  this 


120  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

view  they  ordered  the  President  and 
another  steamer,  and  proposed  following 
with  similar  large  vessels ;  but  the  advent 
of  the  subsidised  Cunard  Line  and  the  loss 
of  the  President,  which  sailed  from  New 
York  in  184:1  and  was  never  again  heard 
of,  caused  the  enterprise  to  end  in  failure. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

CUNARD  COMPANY. 

CUNARD'S  EARLY  HISTORY — CONSULTS  MR  MELVILL — NEGOTIA- 
TIONS WITH  NAPIER FIRST  CONTRACT  SIGNED CORRE- 
SPONDENCE WITH  NAPIER — DIFFICULTIES NAPIER  SUPPORTS 

ENTERPRISE OFFERS     BURNS     AGENCY SUCCESS  —  FIRST 

SHAREHOLDERS — INTIMACY   WITH    CUNARD. 

WE  now  come  to  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant events  in  Napier's  career  —  the 
founding  of  the  celebrated  Cunard  Com- 
pany. In  the  inception  of  this  enter- 
prise the  leading  rdle  was  taken  by  him, 
and  we  purpose  going  into  this  matter 
somewhat  fully  in  the  light  of  the  docu- 
mentary evidence  still  extant. 

In  the  early  'Thirties,  about  the  time 
Robert  Napier  was  expressing  his  opinions 
on  the  practicability  of  regular  steam 


122  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

communication  between  the  two  continents, 
the  same  subject  was  being  considered 
from  a  different  point  of  view  by  a  promi- 
nent Canadian,  Mr  Samuel  Cunard,  whose 
attention  was  directed  to  the  matter  by 
the  successful  trans- Atlantic  passage  made 
by  the  small  Quebec-built  steamer  Royal 
William  already  referred  to.  Cunard  was 
descended  from  a  family  of  Pilgrim 
Fathers  who  had  emigrated  to  America 
in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  cen-. 
tury  and  settled  in  Philadelphia.  "When 
the  United  States  declared  their  independ- 
ence, the  Cunard  family  was  loyal  to 
its  British  traditions,  and  removed  to 
Halifax,  where  Samuel  was  born  in  1788. 
After  serving  an  apprenticeship  in  a 
merchant's  office  he  obtained  a  partner- 
ship in  a  Boston  shipping  firm,  which 
conducted  a  service  between  Halifax  and 
England,  employing  on  the  trade  "tub- 
like"  vessels  widely  known  as  "coffins," 


Sir  y.  Graham  Gilbert,  R.S.A. 

ROBERT    NAPIER,   1845. 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  123 

from  the  fact  that  several  of  them 
foundered  in  the  stormy  waves  of  the 
Atlantic. 

The  good  passages  made  in  the  begin- 
ning of  1838  by  the  Sirius  and  Great 
Western,  and  the  efforts  that  were  being 
put  forth  by  the  British  and  American 
Steam  Navigation  Company  to  establish 
regular  communication,  stimulated  Cunard 
to  endeavour  to  make  his  dream  of  an 
Atlantic  postal  service  a  reality.  He  was 
not  unknown  to  the  Admiralty,  as  he  had 
already  conducted  a  mail  service  between 
Newfoundland  and  Bermuda  in  a  manner 
that  satisfied  the  British  Government. 

In  the  end  of  1838  he  obtained  a  pro- 
visional Atlantic  mail  contract,  and  set 
out  for  England  to  take  the  necessary 
steps  for  fulfilling  it. 

Cunard  was  agent  in  Halifax  for  the 
East  India  Company,  and  on  his  arrival 
in  London  he  consulted  the  secretary 


124  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

of  the  Company,  Mr  James  C.  Melvill, 
regarding  the  building  of  steamers  for 
the  proposed  service.  Mr  Melvill  was 
on  intimate  terms  with  Robert  Napier, 
who  had  supplied  his  Company  with  the 
Berenice  and  other  vessels,  and  he  strongly 
advised  Cunard  to  put  himself  in  Napier's 
hands. 

Accordingly,  on  25th  February  1839,  we 
find  that  Cunard  formally  opened  negotia- 
tions through  his  agents,  Messrs  William 
Kidston  &  Sons,  of  Glasgow,  writing  to 
them  as  follows  : — 

PICCADILLY,  25th  February  1839. 

DEAR  SIRS, — I  shall  require  one  or  two  steam- 
boats of  300  horse-power  and  about  800  tons. 
I  am  told  that  Messrs  Wood  &  Napier  are  highly 
respectable  builders,  and  likely  to  be  enabled  to 
fulfil  any  engagement  they  may  enter  into.  Will 
you  be  so  good  as  to  ask  them  the  probable  sum 
for  which  they  would  engage  to  furnish  me  with 
these  boats  in  all  respects  ready  for  sea  in  twelve 
months  from  this  time?  I  am  told  that  the 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  125 

London  is  a  fine  vessel,  and  about  the  descrip- 
tion of  vessel  that  I  might  require  ;  but  I  have 
not  seen  her.  I  shall  want  these  vessels  to  be 
of  the  very  best  description,  and  to  pass  a 
thorough  inspection  and  examination  of  the 
Admiralty.  I  want  a  plain  and  comfortable  boat, 
not  the  least  unnecessary  expense  for  show.  I 
prefer  plain  work  in  the  cabin,  and  it  will  save 
a  large  amount  in  the  cost.  If  I  find  these 
gentlemen  are  likely  to  meet  my  wishes,  I  will 
immediately  proceed  to  Glasgow  and  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  with  them.  I  shall  also 
require  two  or  three  boats  of  150  horse-power: 
perhaps  they  will  say  the  probable  cost  of  a  boat 
of  this  latter  size,  complete  for  sea,  with  a  plain 
cabin,  &c.,  &c.  S.  CUNARD, 

At  the  General  Mining  Association, 
Ludgate  Hill. 

Messrs  W.  KIDSTON  & 


Possibly  Cunard  may  have  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  nature  of  Napier's  pro- 
posals for  Atlantic  steamers  ;  at  any  rate, 
it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  size  and  power 
of  the  boats  he  mentions  are  exactly  those 
fixed  on  by  Napier  in  his  letter,  written 


126  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

in   1833,   to   Mr   Patrick   Wallace    as    the 
minimum  he  would  recommend. 

To  Messrs  Kidston's  inquiry  Napier 
replied  at  once  : — 

"  VULCAN  FOUNDRY,  28th  February  1839. 

"  GENTLEMEN, — In  reply  to  your  inquiry 
as  to  whether  it  is  my  practice  to  contract 
and  supply  companies  with  steam-vessels 
finished  and  completed  ready  for  sea,  and 
whether  I  am  at  present  in  a  position  to 
undertake  the  construction  and  delivery 
of  two  or  more  vessels  so  as  to  have  them 
ready  in  twelve  months  from  this  date, 
and  the  cost  of  steam-vessels  about  800 
tons  and  300  horse-power,  it  has  been  for 
many  years  past  my  practice  to  contract 
with  companies  to  supply  them  with 
steam-vessels  ready  for  sea. 

"  In  this  way  I  supplied  the  Dundee 
Shipping  Company  (George  Duncan,  Esq., 
Chairman)  with  three  steam -vessels  —  the 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  127 

Dundee,  Perth,  and  London;  the  Inverness 
Shipping  Company  (Thomas  Davidson,  Esq., 
Findhorn,  Manager)  with  the  Duchess  of 
Sutherland ;  the  Aberdeen  &  Leith  Shipping 
Company  (Robert  Mitchell,  Esq.,  Manager) 
with  two  vessels,  the  Sovereign  and  Duke 
of  Richmond;  the  East  India  Company 
(James  Melvill,  Esq.,  Secretary)  with  one 
vessel,  the  Berenice  ;  the  Isle  of  Man  Steam- 
Packet  Company  with  three  vessels ;  the 
Londonderry  Steam-Packet  Company  with 
three ;  the  Belfast  Company,  Glasgow,  with 
three ;  the  City  of  Glasgow  Steam-Packet 
Company  with  the  John  Wood,  Vulcan, 
City  of  Glasgow,  and  a  new  vessel  at 
present  building  for  them.  I  also  sup- 
plied Thomas  Assheton  Smith,  Esq.,  with 
three  vessels — the  Menai,  Glow-worm,  and 
Fire  King.  To  any  of  these  parties  you 
are  at  full  liberty  to  apply  in  order  to 
ascertain  the  manner  I  fulfilled  my  con- 
tracts for  these  vessels. 


128  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"  From  the  great  accommodation  I  have 
for  doing  work,  I  could  at  present  under- 
take to  build  and  finish  in  twelve  months 
two  or  more  steam-vessels,  were  I  favoured 
with  the  order  soon.  The  cost  of  these 
vessels  depends  on  so  many  different 
things  that  it  is  hardly  possible  to  name 
a  price  for  them  without  knowing  more 
about  them  than  you  have  communicated 
to  me.  I  have  done  them  as  low  as 
£35  per  ton  of  total  measurement  of  the 
vessel,  and  I  have  got  above  £50  per  ton 
for  some  others.  I  may,  however,  state 
that  good  vessels,  warranted  to  stand  any 
inspection  and  give  entire  satisfaction 
both  as  to  the  vessel  and  machinery, 
cannot  be  done  for  less  than  from  £40 
to  £42  per  ton, — this  for  the  vessel  ready 
for  sea,  with  cabins,  sails,  rigging,  anchors, 
cables,  &c. 

"  If  your  friend  is  really  in  want  of 
vessels  I  shall  be  happy  to  go  to  London 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  129 

and  meet  him,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but 
that  we  would  in  a  very  short  time 
understand  one  another. — Your  most  obedi- 
ent servant,  R.  NAPIER. 

"  Messrs  W.  KIDSTON  &  SONS." 

Cunard,  on  receipt  of  this  letter,  thought 
his  best  course  was  to  go  to  Glasgow  to 
see  Napier  with  the  intention  of  arranging 
the  contract ;  and  accordingly,  early  in 
March  a  meeting  took  place  at  Lance- 
field  House.  What  then  transpired  can 
be  best  told  in  Napier's  own  words,  in  a 
letter  written  on  28th  January  1841  to 
Messrs  J.  &  Gr.  Burns,  as  Messrs  Burns'  firm 
was  then  stvled. 

* 

"As  there  are  some  things  connected 
with  these  vessels  that  may  not  be  known 
to  you  and  the  other  owners  so  well  as 
to  the  Honourable  S.  Cunard  and  myself, 
I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  making  a  few 

i 


130  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

explanations  —  viz.  :  The  first  application 
that  was  made  to  me  about  these  vessels 
was  through  Messrs  William  Kidston  & 
Sons,  and  on  the  28th  February  1839  I 
wrote  them  a  letter  for  the  information  of 
Mr  Cunard,  and  stated  that  vessels  war- 
ranted to  stand  inspection  cannot  be  done 
for  less  than  £40  to  £42  per  ton.  Some 
short  time  after  this  Mr  Cunard  came  to 
Glasgow  and  waited  upon  me  at  my  house 
with  specifications,  &c.,  for  vessels  of  800 
tons  and  300  horse-power,  for  which  he 
wished  an  offer  from  me,  to  be  finished 
in  a  plain  substantial  manner;  and  seeing 
that  he  was  prepared  at  once  to  give  me 
an  order  if  my  terms  pleased  him,  I  at 
once  said  at  the  rate  of  £40  per  ton.  His 
reply  was  that  he  considered  it  fair  and 
reasonable,  but  as  he  had  three  vessels 
all  of  one  size  (and  that  similar  to  what 
I  had  in  hands  for  the  City  of  Glasgow 
Steam-Packet  Company),  he  said  if  I  took 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  131 

£30,000  for  each  of  the  vessels,  he  would 
give  me  the  order  before  he  left  me.  This 
I  agreed  to  as  per  the  missive  letter  sent 
you,  accepted  and  signed  by  Mr  Cunard." 

This  was  the  first  arrangement  for  the 
Halifax  steamers,  and  it  will  be  observed 
that  it  was  completed  at  the  first  meeting 
that  took  place  between  Mr  Cunard  and 
Napier. 

Business  requiring  his  attention  in 
London,  Mr  Cunard  at  once  went  south, 
leaving  instructions  to  get  copies  of  plans 
and  specifications  ready  for  his  approval. 
He  returned  to  Glasgow  for  this  purpose 
about  the  12th  March.  During  his  ab- 
sence, however,  Napier  had  been  reflecting 
on  the  whole  problem,  and  had  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  unless  the  vessels  were 
made  larger  they  would  not  be  successful. 
He  urged  Cunard  very  strongly  to  increase 
the  dimensions,  but  he  was  most  reluctant 


132  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

to  give  his  consent,  as  the  expense  alarmed 
him.  Napier,  on  the  other  hand,  dreaded 
failure  ;  and  the  course  he  adopted  to  avert 
this  can  best  be  told  in  his  own  words, 
taken  from  the  letter  we  have  already 
quoted. 

"I  said  to  Mr  Cunard  that  if  he  paid 
for  the  alteration  of  the  vessel  and  work 
connected  therewith,  which  I  thought,  if 
properly  gone  about,  might  be  done  for 
the  above  sum  (£2000),  that  I  would  then 
make  him  a  present  of  all  my  part  of  the 
work  for  the  enlarged  size  of  vessels.  He 
at  once  saw  the  great  benefit  to  be  derived 
to  him  from  this  arrangement,  and  accord- 
ingly the  contract  of  18th  March  1839  was 
drawn  out." 

This  contract  stipulated  for  steamers  of 
960  tons,  with  engines  of  375  N.H.P.,  and 
the  price  was  fixed  at  £32,000  for  each 
vessel. 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  133 

The  second  arrangement  was  not  such 
a  favourable  one  for  the  engineer  as  the 
first  one.  Napier,  however,  was  always 
very  jealous  of  his  reputation,  and  was 
prepared  to  make  sacrifices  to  maintain 
it,  and  hence  his  proposal  to  Cunard.  To 
quote  his  own  words,  "  He  felt  that  if  these 
small  vessels  did  not  succeed  they  would 
do  him  more  injury  in  character  than  any 
money  he  could  gain  would  benefit  him." 

A  formal  contract  was  now  entered  into 
and  signed  on  the  18th  March  1839,  the 
sole  contracting  parties  being  Samuel  Cun- 
ard and  Robert  Napier.  The  same  day 
Cunard  left  for  London,  and  the  first  stage 
of  the  negotiations  was  reached.  Napier 
next  day  wrote  a  letter  of  thanks  to  his 
friend  Melvill. 

"GLASGOW,  19th  March  1839. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR, — Yesterday,  after  signing 
the  contract  in  a  formal  manner,  Mr  Cunard 
left  this  per  mail  for  London. 


134  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"It  being  customary  in  our  Scotch  con- 
tracts to  name  arbiters  to  settle  any  differ- 
ences that  may  arise  between  the  con- 
tracting parties,  I  took  the  liberty  of 
naming  you  to  Mr  Cunard.  To  this  he 
agreed  at  once. 

"I  hope  you  will  excuse  this  liberty  on 
the  faith  you  are  not  to  be  troubled  further 
than  coming  down,  I  trust,  and  taking  a 
sail  up  in  one  of  the  vessels  to  London. 

"I  am  of  opinion  Mr  Cunard  has  got  a 
good  contract,  and  that  he  will  make  a 
good  thing  of  it.  From  the  frank  off- 
hand manner  in  which  he  contracted  with 
me,  I  have  given  him  the  vessels  cheap,  and 
I  am  certain  they  will  be  good  and  very 
strong  ships. 

"  I  can  only  again  repeat  my  obligations 
to  you  for  your  kindness,  and  am,  dear 
Sir,  yours  faithfully,  R.  NAPIER. 

"  JAMES  C.  MELVILL,  Esq., 

Secretary,  The  Honourable  East  India  Company." 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  135 

When  Cunard  arrived  in  London  he  at 
once  put  himself  in  communication  with 
the  Government,  and  informed  them  what 
he  had  arranged.  On  the  21st  March  he 
wrote  to  Napier — 

The  Admiralty  and  Treasury  are  highly  pleased 
with  the  size  of  the  boats.  I  have  given  credit 
where  it  is  due  to  you  and  Mr  Wood.  I  have 
pledged  myself  that  they  shall  be  the  finest  and 
best  boats  ever  built  in  this  country. 

You  have  no  idea  of  the  prejudice  of  some  of 
our  English  builders.  I  have  had  several  offers 
from  Liverpool  and  this  place ;  and  when  I  have 
replied  that  I  have  contracted  in  Scotland  they 
invariably  say,  "  You  will  neither  have  substantial 
work  nor  completed  in  time."  The  Admiralty 
agree  with  me  in  opinion  that  the  boats  will  be  as 
good  as  if  built  in  this  country,  and  I  have  assured 
them  you  will  keep  to  time. 

Again  on  the  25th  March  he  wrote  : — 

Am  I  not  right  in  saying  you  are  to  give  me 
everything  upon  the  best  and  most  improved 
plan. 


136  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

On  27th  March  Napier  replied  to 
Cunard  : — 

"I  am  in  receipt  of  your  esteemed 
letters  of  21st  and  25th  current.  I  was 
quite  prepared  for  your  being  beset  with 
all  the  schemers  of  every  description 
in  the  country  and  in  this  stage  of  the 
business,  and  think  it  right  to  state  that 
I  cannot  and  will  not  admit  of  anything 
being  done  or  introduced  into  these  engines 
but  what  I  am  satisfied  with  is  sound 
and  good.  In  a  word,  I  shall  not  pay 
the  least  attention  to  any  scheme  but 
that  I  have  fixed  on — viz.,  'your  engines 
will  be  made  similar  in  constriction  to  those 
I  am  at  present  making  to  the  Admiralty.' 

"Hall's  condensers  cannot  be  allowed 
if  it  was  on  no  other  ground  but  that  of 
time,  as  it  would  be  actually  impossible 
for  me  to  meet  your  time  and  adopt  his 
plan.  Every  solid  and  known  improve- 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  137 

ment  that  I  am  made  acquainted  with 
shall  be  adopted  by  me,  but  no  patent 
plans. 

"I  am  sorry  that  some  of  the  English 
tradesmen  should  indulge  in  speaking  ill 
of  their  competitors  in  Scotland.  I  shall 
not  follow  their  example,  having  hitherto 
made  it  my  practice  to  let  deeds,  and  not 
words,  prove  who  is  right  or  wrong.  At 
present  I  shall  not  say  more  than  court 
comparison  of  my  work  with  any  other 
in  the  kingdom,  only  let  it  be  done  by 
honest  and  competent  men." 

Now  at  this  time  the  British  Queen 
was  being  finished  by  Napier.  This  vessel, 
and  her  sister  ship  the  President?*  were 
very  much  larger  and  finer  steamers  than 
those  Mr  Cunard  had  ordered ;  and  in 
view  of  this  fact  and  the  letters  he  was 
receiving  from  his  customer,  Napier  sug- 
gested the  desirability  of  still  further  in- 


138  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

creasing  the  vessels.  To  this  proposal 
Cunard  turned  a  deaf  ear,  as  he  was  un- 
willing to  incur  further  expense,  more 
especially  as  the  Admiralty  and  Treasury 
had  expressed  themselves  satisfied. 

Mentioning  the  matter  to  Mr  Melvill, 
and  recounting  his  Glasgow  experience, 
Cunard  stated  incidentally  that  the  Ad- 
miralty were  pleased  with  the  ships,  but 
that  Napier  considered  them  still  too 
small,  and  was  always  proposing  larger 
boats.  Mr  Melvill  expressed  the  opinion 
that  to  ensure  success  the  adoption  of 
Napier's  views  was  imperative,  as  he  was 
the  great  authority  on  steam  navigation, 
and  knew  much  more  about  the  subject 
than  the  Admiralty. 

Cunard  rejoined  that  while  he  valued 
Napier's  advice,  larger  boats  meant  more 
money,  which  he  could  not  afford,  as  he 
had  been  disappointed  in  getting  his  stock 
taken  up  ;  and  even  the  offer  of  the  agency 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  139 

to  his  correspondents,  Messrs  Kidston,  had 
not  induced  them  to  participate  in  his 
enterprise. 

Melvill  strongly  advised  him  to  go  north 
again  and  place  the  matter  fully  before 
Napier,  as  he  thought  he  would  be  able 
to  assist  him  in  his  difficulties,  and  Cunard 
at  once  adopted  this  suggestion. 

Another  meeting  took  place  at  Lance- 
field  House,  at  which  Mr  Cunard  explained 
the  position,  and  Napier,  after  consider- 
ation, said  he  thought  he  could  help 
him  in  his  difficulty. 

As  already  mentioned,  he  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  City  of  Glasgow  Steam- 
Packet  Company,  whose  steamers  plied 
to  Liverpool.  The  Company  was  managed 
in  Glasgow  by  Messrs  Thomson  &  Mac- 
Connell,  and  in  Liverpool  by  Napier's 
friend  Mr  David  Maclver. 

Thinking  that  those  interested  in  local 
shipping  would  risk  something  in  an  ocean 


140  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

venture,  he  sounded  his  friends  and  other 
co-shareholders,  including  Mr  James  Don- 
aldson, a  wealthy  cotton  broker.  They 
responded  enthusiastically,  Donaldson  per- 
sonally undertaking  to  subscribe  £16,000. 

Having  succeeded  so  far,  he  now  ap- 
proached Mr  George  Burns,  who  had 
fallen  heir  to  the  Belfast  trade  which  the 
Napiers  originated,  and  who,  along  with 
Mr  Martin,  was  agent  for  a  line  of  steamers 
trading  to  Liverpool. 

Napier  knew  Mr  Burns  as  an  excellent 
business  man  and  capable  agent,  and  he 
suggested  that  he  might  obtain  for  him 
the  agency  of  Cunard's  steamers  if  he 
could  assist  in  raising  a  part  of  the 
capital. 

Burns,  after  due  consideration,  fell  in 
with  the  proposal,  and  as  prospective  agent 
he  propounded  the  scheme  to  Napier's 
friends  and  his  own  shareholders. 

As    stated    in    the    life    of   Sir    George 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  141 

Burns,  the  amount  aimed  at  (£270,000) 
was  at  once  subscribed,  and  the  new 
copartnery  was  called  the  British  &  North 
American  Royal  Mail  Steam -Packet  Com- 
pany. 

The  original  subscribers  were  as  under : — 

Samuel  Cunard    .  .  .  £55,000 

1.  James  Donaldson  .  .  16,000 

2.  James  Browne      .  .  .  11,600 

3.  James  Wright      .  .  .  11,600 

4.  Thomas  Buchanan  .  .  11,600 

5.  William  Brown    .  .  .  11,600 

6.  Robert  Rodger     .  .  .  11, 600 

7.  W.  Leckie  Ewing  .  .  11,600 

8.  William  Connal   .  .  .  11,600 

9.  Alexander  Fletcher  .  .  11,600 

10.  William  Stirling  .  .  .  11,600 

11.  Robert  Hinshaw  .  .  .  10,900 

12.  Alexander  M  Asian  .  .  10,800 

13.  Elias  Gibb   ....  6,400 

14.  Alexander  Glasgow  .  .  6,400 

15.  Robert  Napier      .  .  .  6,000 

16.  James  Campbell  .  •  .  6,000 

17.  George  Burns       .  .  .  5,500 

18.  Alexander  Downie  .  .  5,500 


142  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

19.  William  Campbell        ..  .  5,500 

20.  James  Burns        .         .,  .  5,000 

21.  David  Maclver    .         .  .  4,000 

22.  Charles  Maclver  .         .  .  4,000 

23.  James  Merry,  Jun.        .  .  3,700 

24.  Alexander  Bannerman .  .  2,100 

25.  John  Bannerman          .  .  2,100 

26.  Henry  Bannerman       .  .  2,100 

27.  Archibald  MacConnell .  .  2,000 

28.  David  Scott.         .         .  .  1,600 

29.  James  Martin       .         .  .  1,500 

30.  James  M'Call       .         .  .  1,300 

31.  Alexander  Kerr   .         .  .  700 

32.  David  Chapman  .         .  .  1,500 


£270,000 

It  will  be  observed  Mr  Cunard  had 
by  far  the  largest  holding  in  the  Com- 
pany, and  the  other  shares  were  divided 
pretty  equally  between  Mr  Napier  and 
his  friends  and  Mr  Burns  and  those 
whom  he  induced  to  join  the  enterprise. 
Though  Mr  Burns  personally  did  not  sub- 
scribe a  great  amount,  he  obtained  through 


CUNARD    COMPANY.  143 

Mr  Napier  the  agency,  which  was  by  far 
the  most  lucrative  position  in  the  venture. 
Napier,  however,  recommended  Burns  not 
for  his  wealth,  but  for  his  commercial 
ability,  and  the  future  history  of  the  Com- 
pany justified  his  selection. 

The  management  of  the  steamers,  includ- 
ing the  appointment  of  officers  and  crew, 
was  entrusted  to  Napier's  old  friends,  Messrs 
Maclver  of  Liverpool,  who  performed  their 
part  in  the  most  efficient  manner. 

The  newly  constituted  Company  adopted 
Mr  Cunard's  contract  as  a  basis.  The  num- 
ber of  the  vessels  was  increased  to  four,  and 
they  were  made  larger  and  more  efficient 
in  the  way  Napier  desired  ;  in  fact,  every- 
thing was  left  to  him,  and  his  mark  is  still 
to  be  seen  in  the  red  funnel,  which  had 
hitherto  distinguished  the  steamers  he  was 
interested  in. 

In  addition  to  increasing  the  dimen- 
sions, the  ships  were  filled  up  solid  in 


144  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

the  bows  between  the  timbers  with  strong 
beams  and  knees,  and  water-tight  bulk- 
heads were  fitted  to  prevent  accident 
should  the  vessels  strike  ice.  They  also 
were  doubled  all  over  with  hardwood 
planks,  and  strong  iron  straps  were  fitted  to 
prevent  straining.  The  cabin  accommoda- 
tion was  made  much  more  luxurious  than 
originally  contemplated,  and  perhaps  this 
was  necessary,  as  the  fare  was  38  guineas. 
The  names  of  the  four  vessels  were  the 
Acadia,  Britannia,  Caledonia,  and  Columbia, 
— the  Acadia,  built  by  Wood,  being  the 
"  pattern  card."  The  first  to  sail  was 
the  Britannia,  commanded  by  Captain 
Woodruff,  which  started  from  Liverpool  on 
4th  July  1840,  and  arrived  in  Boston  a 
fortnight  later.  On  her  outward  passage 
she  was  retarded  by  westerly  winds,  but  sail- 
ing for  home  in  the  ensuing  month,  she  made 
the  return  voyage  in  a  little  over  ten  days, 
her  best  day's  steaming  being  280  knots. 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  145 

Such  was  the  part  played  by  Napier  at 
the  start  of  this  celebrated  Company;  and 
from  the  preceding  narrative  it  will  be 
apparent  that  it  was  mainly  through  his 
co-operation  with  Mr  Cunard,  first  in 
enabling  the  latter  to  get  his  plans  into 
practical  shape,  and  then  in  providing  a 
series  of  steamships  unrivalled  in  their  time, 
that  immediate  success  was  attained. 

It  was  the  confidence  reposed  in  Robert 
Napier,  in  the  man  and  in  his  work,  that 
secured  most  of  the  capital  necessary  (out- 
side of  Mr  Cunard's  contribution)  to  found 
the  Company  on  an  adequate  basis,  and 
it  was  undoubtedly  the  excellence  and 
uniform  success  of  the  machinery  and 
vessels  he  supplied  that  gained  for  the 
British  and  North  American  Company  that 
support  from  the  commercial  world  which 
led  to  its  remarkable  prosperity,  and  enabled 
it  to  emerge  triumphant  from  its  memor- 
able contest  with  the  Collins  Line. 

K 


146  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"Napier  was  the  practical  head  and 
hand  of  the  Cunard  Company  in  its  early 
days,  without  which  it  might  have  proved 
a  less  successful  venture  in  the  vast  field 
of  enterprise  it  so  long  monopolised." 

By  those  possessed  of  the  requisite 
knowledge,  Mr  Napier's  energy,  organ- 
ising skill,  and  engineering  ability  have 
been  cordially  recognised  as  the  foundation 
from  which  the  Cunard  Company  took  its 
beginning,  but  by  no  one  was  the  im- 
portance of  his  services  acknowledged  with 
greater  freedom  than  by  Mr  Cunard  him- 
self. Between  Cunard  and  Napier  there 
existed  a  lifelong  friendship.  At  the  latter's 
request  he  sat  for  his  portrait,  which  was 
presented  to  his  daughter,  Miss  Cunard, 
with  whose  letter  of  thanks  as  reflecting 
these  sentiments  we  conclude. 

BUSH  HILL,  EDMONTON,  Jan.  17,  1860. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  portrait  of  my  father  that 
you  have  been  so  very  kind  as  to  present  to  me 


CUNARD   COMPANY.  147 

has  now  been  hung  up  in  the  dining-room  at 
Bush  Hill,  and,  although  personally  a  stranger  to 
you,  I  hope  you  will  allow  me  to  express  my 
sincere  thanks  for  a  gift  that  must  be  valuable 
to  me  for  its  own  sake,  as  well  as  for  the  sake 
of  the  donor,  whose  name  has  been  familiar  to 
me  from  early  childhood  in  connection  with  much 
that  I  have  heard  of  science  and  natural  energy 
and  talent. 

Your  present  will  always  silently  remind  me 
of  your  generosity,  which  will  at  all  times  be 
remembered  with  pleasant  gratitude. — Believe  me, 
my  dear  Sir,  yours  truly  and  obliged, 

ELIZABETH  CUNARD. 

E.  NAPIER,  Esq. 


CHAPTER   X. 

IRON   SHIPBUILDING. 

ACQUIRES  GROUND  AT  GOVAN — APPOINTMENT   OF   WILLIAM   DENNY 
— STARTS    IRON    SHIPBUILDING — FIRST    IRON    STEAMER    FOR 

ADMIRALTY — SIMOOM INTIMACY    WITH    NAVAL    OFFICERS — 

FAMILY   RELATIONSHIPS. 

REGULAR  ocean  navigation  was  now  be- 
coming universal  over  the  world,  and 
companies  such  as  the  Royal  Mail  Com- 
pany, the  Pacific  Company,  the  P.  &  0. 
Company,  and  others,  rapidly  came  into 
existence  to  exploit  the  several  routes. 

Following  on  the  Cunard  boats  Napier 
constructed  a  very  fine  steamer  for  the 
Eastern  trade  called  the  Precursor,  which 
was  acquired  by  the  P.  &  0.  Company.  She 
cost  over  £65,000  sterling,  which  was  the 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  149 

largest  sum  he  had  as  yet  received  for  a 
steam-ship. 

Hitherto  he  had  given  out  the  hulls  of 
his  steamers,  placing  most  of  them  with 
his  friend  Mr  John  Wood.  Troubles,  how- 
ever, were  experienced  with  sub-contract- 
ors, and  it  was  also  found  to  be  practi- 
cally impossible  to  construct  wooden  vessels 
that  would  keep  their  shape  when  driven 
by  engines  of  large  power. 

To  meet  these  difficulties,  and  keep 
abreast  of  the  time,  he  resolved  to  add 
iron  shipbuilding  to  his  business,  and, 
with  this  purpose  in  view,  in  1841  he 
purchased  some  acres  of  ground  at  Govan, 
which  he  fixed  on  as  the  most  suitable 
site. 

He  had  been  very  fortunate  in  his  choice 
of  Mr  Elder  as  manager  of  his  Engine- 
Works,  but  as  Elder  knew  little  or  nothing 
of  shipbuilding  except  from  an  engineering 
point  of  view,  a  suitable  naval  architect 


150  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

had  to  be  found.  He  was  again  happy 
in  his  selection  of  his  kinsman,  Mr  William 
Denny  of  Dumbarton,  to  fill  this  position, 
as  he  had  the  reputation  of  being  one 
of  the  best  ship  -  designers  of  his  time. 
The  terms  of  the  agreement  entered  into 
are  set  forth  in  Mr  Denny's  letter  of  1st 
November  1842,  which  is  countersigned 
by  Mr  Napier. 

GLASGOW,  1st  November  1842. 

Mr  R.  Napier, — 

SIR, — I  hereby  offer  to  serve  you  as  a  draftsman, 
modeller,  and  inspector  of  any  steam-vessels,  either 
of  iron  or  wood,  that  you  may  have  at  any  time 
to  build  or  repair,  and  to  give  instruction  to 
your  sons  regarding  drafting  and  building  of 
vessels. 

In  a  word,  I  agree  to  give  you  the  whole  of  my 
personal  services  for  three  years  on  being  paid  by 
you  for  the  first  year  at  the  rate  of  £150  per 
annum  and  £10  of  premium  for  every  new  vessel 
that  is  built  and  completed  under  my  direction 
and  according  to  your  instructions.  For  the 
second  year,  I  am  to  receive  at  the  rate  of  £175 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  151 

per  annum  and  £10  of  premium  on  each  vessel 
built  under  my  superintendence.  In  the  third 
year,  I  am  to  receive  at  the  rate  of  £200  and  £10 
for  each  vessel  built  under  my  superintendence 
for  you.  I  am  to  be  at  liberty  to  complete  my 
present  engagement  to  Messrs  Coats  &  Young, 
and  visit  Belfast  once  each  six  weeks  till  the 
vessel  is  built,  &c.  This  agreement  to  be  extended 
by  Mr  Moncrieff.  WILLIAM  DENNY. 

K.  NAPIER. 

It  is  specially  to  be  noted  that  one  of  Mr 
Denny's  duties  was  to  instruct  Mr  Napier's 
sons  in  the  art  of  shipbuilding,  and  when  a 
few  years  later  he  left  to  found  the  firm 
of  Messrs  William  Denny  &  Brothers,  his 
pupil,  Mr  James  R.  Napier,  took  charge  of 
the  yard. 

Thus  equipped,  Napier  started  to  build 
his  first  iron  vessel,  the  Vanguard.  She 
was  a  paddle-steamer  of  about  700  tons 
register.  In  her  construction  Elder  con- 
sidered that  it  was  impossible  to  make  sub- 
stantial work  with  ordinary  riveting,  so  he 


152  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

bored  the  keel -plates  and  put  in  charcoal 
iron  bolts,  carefully  turned  and  fitted  to  the 
holes  and  riveted  cold.  With  workman- 
ship of  such  a  high  order,  and  with  a  grace- 
ful form  such  as  Mr  Denny  always  imparted 
to  his  models,  success  was  certain,  and  the 
vessel  was  universally  admired. 

She  was  launched  on  29th  June  1843, 
and  at  once  orders  followed  in  quick  suc- 
cession for  similar  vessels,  the  various  com- 
panies engaged  in  the  Channel  trades  aban- 
doning wood  and  going  in  for  iron  steamers. 
As  evidencing  the  satisfaction  which  his 
iron  vessels  gave,  we  quote  a  letter  received 
from  the  Chairman  of  the  Dundalk  Steam- 
Packet  Company,  whose  steamer  Dundalk 
closely  followed  the  Vanguard. 

February  22,  1844. 

DEAR  SIR, — As  Chairman  of  the  Meeting  held 
on  20th  inst.,  it  affords  me  much  pleasure  com- 
municating the  Resolution  enclosed  passed  on  that 
day.  I  have  to  add  that  but  one  feeling  pre- 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  153 

vailed  on  the  occasion, — That  neither  expense  nor 
pains  were  spared  in  the  building  and  outfit  of  the 
DundalJc,  alike  gratifying  to  the  Company  and 
creditable  to  the  establishment  where  so  fine  a 
vessel  (admitted  to  be  a  first-class  one)  was  con- 
structed. Her  form  is  much  admired  for  its  sym- 
metry, and  her  engines,  in  the  opinion  of  com- 
petent judges  who  have  examined  them,  have  been 
pronounced  to  be  models  of  skill. 

Napier  had  been  endeavouring  to  induce 
the  Admiralty  to  adopt  iron  instead  of  wood 
for  steamers,  and  in  the  end  of  1843  he  re- 
ceived the  following  letter  from  his  friend 
Sir  Edward  Parry  : — 

ADMIRALTY,  23rc?  December  1843. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  am  directed  by  the  Lord  Com- 
missioners of  the  Admiralty  to  request  that  you 
will  come  to  London  to  communicate  with  me 
yourself  on  the  subject  of  the  Tender  you  have 
lately  sent  in  for  one  or  more  iron  vessels  with 
engines. 

If  you  can  conveniently  be  at  my  office  on 
Wednesday  next  at  2|  o'clock  it  will  answer  the 


154  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

intended  purpose. — I  remain,  dear  Sir,  yours  very 
faithfully,  E.  W.  PARRY. 

P.S. — I  have  appointed  Mr  Lloyd  or  Mr  Murray 
to  be  here  to  meet  you  at  |-past  2  o'clock  on  Wed- 
nesday. 
R  NAPIER,  Esq. 

The  result  of  the  visit  he  paid  was  that 
he  was  commissioned  to  build  and  engine 
three  iron  steamers  for  the  Navy.  They 
were  called  the  Jackal,  Lizard,  and  Blood- 
hound, and  these  were  the  first  iron  vessels 
in  the  service. 

The  prejudice  of  the  officials  was  strong 
against  iron,  as  they  feared  it  sounded  the 
knell  of  the  dockyards,  and  efforts  were  put 
forth  to  make  the  boats  unsuccessful.  By 
increasing  the  scantlings  about  40  per  cent 
above  those  customary  in  steamers  of  a 
similar  type,  and  by  insisting  on  the  frames 
being  spaced  only  nine  inches  apart,  the 
vessels  were  made  to  draw  much  more 
water  than  originally  intended,  and  they 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  155 

were  slow,  consequent  on  the  deep  immer- 
sion of  their  paddles. 

Though  the  boats  were  comparative 
failures  in  respect  of  speed,  no  blame  was 
attached  to  Napier ;  and  as  the  workman- 
ship was  most  satisfactory,  about  a  year 
later  he  was  entrusted  with  an  order  for 
an  iron  screw  frigate  for  the  Navy.  This 
vessel  was  called  the  Simoom,  and  she  was 
much  larger  than  any  steamer  he  had 
hitherto  undertaken.  She  was  laid  down 
on  20th  December  184:5,  and  remained  on 
the  stocks  for  over  three  years,  as  the  Ad- 
miralty had  even  then  acquired  the  habit 
of  making  alterations  during  construction, 
which  they  were  unwilling  to  pay  for. 
At  last,  on  24th  May  1849,  she  was 
launched,  not  without  mishap,  in  the 
presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  people, 
and  in  about  two  years  afterwards  she 
was  finished. 

The  delay  in  connection  with  this  war- 


156  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

ship  was  a  serious  matter  to  Napier,  as  she 
occupied  so  much  space  in  his  yard ;  and 
the  inconvenience  caused  may  be  the  more 
readily  appreciated,  when  mention  is  made 
of  the  fact  that  during  her  construction  he 
entered  into  thirty  new  contracts.  He 
made  representations  to  the  Admiralty  on 
the  subject,  and  after  delay  received  some 
recompense,  though  not  of  an  amount  which 
he  considered  adequate. 

The  Simoom  was  a  very  efficiently  con- 
structed vessel,  and  she  was  actively  em- 
ployed in  the  service  as  a  troopship  for 
nearly  forty  years. 

Mr  Napier  was  characterised  by  liberality 
in  his  views,  and  he  made  a  point  of  open- 
ing his  works  to  all,  more  especially  to 
naval  officers  who  were  desirous  of  acquir- 
ing a  knowledge  of  marine  engines.  He 
had  many  letters,  such  as  the  following  one 
from  Admiral  Sir  Thomas  Cochrane  : — 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  157 

YESTER  HOUSE,  HADDINGTON, 
October  7,  1851. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  Marquis  of  Tweeddale  is 
very  anxious  that  his  son  Lord  John  Hay,  a  Com- 
mander in  the  Navy,  should  profit  by  your 
splendid  Establishment  in  Glasgow,  and  should 
receive  your  permission  to  attend  and  take  advan- 
tage of  the  scientific  instruction  he  can  receive 
there ;  and  you  will  confer  a  favour  upon  me  by 
permitting  him  to  do  so,  and  I  can  safely  hold 
out  as  an  inducement  that  he  will  do  ample  justice 
to  the  opportunity  that  will  thus  be  offered  to  him, 
as  he  is  a  remarkably  fine  young  man,  and  was 
promoted  by  me  when  Commander-in-Chief  in 
China  entirely  from  his  merits  as  a  promising 
officer. — I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  very  faithfully  yours, 

TEGS.    COCHRANE. 
EGBERT  NAPIER,  Esq. 

This  enlightened  policy  had  the  effect  of 
establishing  close  and  intimate  relations 
with  the  Admiralty,  and  in  after  years, 
when  these  apprentices  (or  rather  we  should 
call  them  students)  came  to  have  power, 
they  had  strong  leanings  to  Mr  Napier's 


158  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

firm.  Thus  Admiral  Lord  John  Hay,  writ- 
ing him  in  1871  when  he  was  in  command 
of  H.M.S.  Hotspur,  concludes  his  letter  with 
a  postscript :  "  I  feel  still  all  the  respect 
that  is  due  to  you  from  myself  as  one  of 
the  old  apprentices  in  your  works  so  many 
years  ago." 

His  relations  with  the  naval  men  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact  were  of  the 
most  harmonious  character,  and  his  kind- 
ness to  them  was  so  much  appreciated  that 
a  number  of  them  presented  him  with  a 
valuable  piece  of  plate. 

Napier's  reply  was  in  his  happiest  style : — 

"GLASGOW,  1th  December  1844. 

"MY  DEAR  SIRS, — I  am  so  taken  ' aback' 
(to  use  a  naval  word),  that  I  feel  at  the 
greatest  loss  to  offer  you  and  your  brother 
officers  my  grateful  acknowledgments  for 
the  very  kind  and  delicate  manner  in 
which  I  have  been  presented  with  a  most 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  159 

elegant  and  splendid  testimonial,  intrinsic- 
ally valuable  as  a  piece  of  silver  plate  and 
as  a  work  of  art,  but  infinitely  more  so  on 
account  of  its  generous  donors,  and  as 
expressing  by  them  the  most  honourable, 
and  to  me  by  far  the  most  gratifying,  gift 
which  I  have  ever  received,  or  am  likely  to 
receive,  and  which  I  trust  will  remain  as 
an  heirloom  in  my  family  while  it  exists, 
and  act  as  a  landmark  to  them  to  be 
kind  and  hospitable  to  all  officers  of  the 
Royal  Navy. 

"  I  feel  deeply  indebted  to  you  and  all 
whose  names  have  been  sent  to  me  along 
with  the  valuable  silver  Candelabrum  and 
Plateau,  and  beg  to  assure  you  all  that, 
when  I  admitted  naval  officers  to  my 
Works,  I  felt  the  greatest  pleasure  in 
having  it  in  my  power  to  promote  in  the 
smallest  degree  the  advancement  of  the 
knowledge  of  steam  machinery  amongst 
the  officers  of  the  Royal  Navy. 


160  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"  I  have  always  been  highly  pleased  and 
delighted  at  meeting  with  naval  officers, 
and  have  often  regretted  that  my  engage- 
ments otherwise  prevented  me  from  pay- 
ing that  attention  that  I  wished  to  pay. 
Nothing,  I  can  assure  you,  would  give  me 
greater  pride  and  satisfaction  than  to  have 
it  in  my  power  to  have  you  all  seated  at 
my  table  around  this  splendid  testimonial 
of  your  kindness,  and  have  the  pleasure  of 
drinking  a  bumper  to  the  success  of  one 
and  all  of  my  naval  friends ;  but  as  there 
is  some  doubt  of  my  meeting  you  all 
together,  I  can  only  say  that  so  long 
as  I  have  a  "roof- tree"  above  my  head, 
one  and  all  of  you  shall  always  have  a 
hearty  welcome.  Praying  that  God  may 
bless  you  all,  I  am,  my  dear  Sirs,  with 
kindest  regards,  yours  most  sincerely, 

"R.  NAPIER. 

"  To  Captains  NEWELL  and  KOBE,  R.N., 
London." 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  161 

As  years  went  on  this  cordiality  with 
his  naval  friends  increased,  and  when- 
ever the  Channel  Fleet  visited  the  Clyde 
the  invitation  to  West  Shandon  was  ac- 
cepted with  alacrity,  and  a  most  hearty 
welcome  was  always  extended. 

The  last  of  these  visits  was  in  1872, 
when  Mr  Napier  was  over  eighty  years  of 
age.  In  accepting  the  invitation  Admiral 
Hornby  wrote  him  : — 

H.M.S.  Minotaur, 
GREENOCK,  July  3,  1872. 

DEAR  MR  NAPIER, — Pray  accept  my  best  thanks 
for  your  kind  note  of  yesterday  just  received,  and 
the  hearty  welcome  to  the  Clyde  which  it  conveys. 

I  am  very  sorry  I  cannot  speak  more  positively 
to  the  time  at  which  I  may  be  able  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  calling  on  you.  I  hope  it  will 
be  on  Friday  afternoon,  but  I  have  to  receive 
the  Provost  of  Dumbarton  in  the  forenoon,  as 
he  wishes  to  see  the  ship,  and  I  am  in  hopes 
that  my  wife  may  join  me  here,  probably  on 
Friday  morning,  and  if  so,  arrangements  I  have 
made  may  have  to  be  deferred. 

L 


162  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

But  if  you  will  allow  me  to  take  my  chance 
of  finding  you  at  home  on  that  day,  I  hope  to 
be  able  to  reach  you  between  2  and  4  P.M.  and 
to  bring  a  few  officers  in  our  steam-launch  to 
see  the  beauties  of  West  Shandon,  and  to  make 
the  acquaintance  of  its  illustrious  owner. — Believe 
me,  yours  very  truly,  GEOFFREY  HORNBY. 

EGBERT  NAPIER,  Esq. 

He  was  on  equally  good  terms  with  the 
powers  that  be  at  Whitehall.  In  con- 
cluding a  letter  in  1868,  Sir  Spencer  Rob- 
inson, who  was  then  Controller  of  the 
Navy,  expressed  himself  in  these  gratifying 
terms  : — 

May  God  bless  you,  my  dear  old  friend.  One 
of  the  few  bright  spots  in  my  official  career  is 
that  it  has  again  brought  me  into  relations  with 
you,  and  made  me  know  still  better  than  of 
old  all  that  was  valuable,  excellent,  and  sterling 
in  your  honoured  self. 

Few  contractors  have  ever  been  favoured 
with  such  expressions  of  esteem  from  the 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  163 

Controller  of  the  Navy,  but  this  extract 
shows  the  very  intimate  relationship  that 
existed  between  the  British  Admiralty  and 
Mr  Napier. 

These  busy  years  did  not  pass  without 
changes  in  his  immediate  family  circle. 
His  brother,  the  Kev.  Dr  Peter  Napier, 
was  in  1844  presented  to  the  College 
Church  in  Glasgow,  but,  as  was  not  un- 
usual in  those  Disruption  days,  there  was 
a  dispute  about  his  settlement. 

Canon  Melvill  of  St  Paul's,  brother  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  East  India  Company, 
was  an  intimate  friend  of  Robert  Napier, 
and  as  he  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
preachers  of  the  time  he  sent  him  a  copy 
of  Dr  Peter's  sermons.  In  acknowledging 
them  the  Canon  wrote  as  follows  : — 

EAST  INDIA  COMPANY, 
February  5,  1845. 

MY  DEAR  NAPIER,  —  Many  thanks  for  your 
brother's  sermons.  They  are  excellent  both  in 


164  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

matter  and  style,  quite  good  enough  for  Episco- 
palians ;  I  had  almost  said  too  good  for  Presby- 
terians. Certainly  if  the  hearers  of  such  sermons 
object  to  the  preacher  they  ought  to  be  doomed 
to  some  ranting  raving  fellow  who  will  wear  out 
a  red  cushion  in  twenty-four  hours.  .  .  . 

Many  thanks  for  your  kind  invitation  to 
Shandon.  You  are  as  good  a  fellow  as  ever 
lived,  and  I  owe  you  more  than  I  can  pay  for 
all  sorts  of  kindness.  .  .  . — Most  truly  yours, 

HENRY  MELVILL. 

Mr  Napier,  in  the  midst  of  his  pros- 
perity, was  always  most  attentive  to  his 
old  parents,  and  there  was  an  annual 
gathering  at  Dumbarton.  His  cousin,  the 
Kev.  Dr  Mathieson  of  Montreal,  writing 
him  in  the  end  of  1843,  concludes  his 
letter  saying — 

We  can  only  expect  the  old  folks  now  should 
feel  the  burden  of  years.  Few  have  attained  their 
days  amidst  so  much  peace  and  comfort.  The 
united  ages  of  the  first  generation — viz.,  your 
father  and  mother,  my  own,  and  Aunt  Nancy, 


IRON  SHIPBUILDING.  165 

would  amount  to  a  considerable  sum.  May  they 
all  be  preserved  for  many  years  to  come.  I 
hope  it  will  be  long  before  the  General  Assembly 
at  Dumbarton,  on  Hogmanay,  will  be  dissolved. 

My  kindest  regards  to  Mrs  Napier  and  all  around 
your  fireside,  not  forgetting  Uncle  and  Aunt. 

Uncle,  I  daresay,  now  and  then  wafts  an 
"  Och,  och,  poor  man,"  across  the  Atlantic. 

In  1846  his  mother  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years,  and  two  years  later  his 
father  passed  away  at  the  same  advanced 
age.  A  few  months  later  he  lost  his 
youngest  son  Robert,  and  he  was  buried 
beside  his  grandparents  in  Dumbarton. 

In  the  immediately  ensuing  years  all  his 
sons  and  daughters  married  and  set  up 
establishments  of  their  own. 

Mr  Napier  ceased  to  live  in  Glasgow, 
and  henceforward  resided  permanently  at 
his  house  on  the  shores  of  the  Gareloch. 


CHAPTER    XL 

WEST  SHANDON. 

FIRST      COTTAGE  ENLARGEMENT  DISAPPEARANCE PRESENT 

MANSION  —  PROFESSOR     KERR's      CRITICISM  —  COLLECTION — 
HOSPITALITY — LETTERS    FROM    MARQUIS    OF    DALHOUSIE    AND 

OTHERS ERECTION      OF     ROW     CHURCH      AND     STATUE     TO 

HENRY   BELL. 

As  stated  in  an  earlier  chapter,  Mr 
Napier  acquired  ground  at  Shandon  in 
1833,  on  which  he  built  a  small  house, 
where  he  was  in  the  habit  of  residing 
during  the  summer  months. 

Sunny  memories  are  still  called  up 
among  the  few  survivors  who  were  privi- 
leged to  enjoy  the  hospitalities  of  the  first 
West  Shandon  house,  memories  standing 
apart  from  any  attaching  to  the  larger 
house  which  took  its  place.  The  posses- 


WEST  SHANDON.  167 

sion  of  pictures  and  other  works  of  art 
called  for  a  gallery  where  they  might  be 
suitably  displayed ;  other  additions  fol- 
lowed, and  the  mason  was  much  in  evi- 
dence over  a  period  of  years.  Eventually 
the  first  house  disappeared,  and  the  struc- 
ture presently  existing  took  its  place,  the 
whole,  especially  the  front  to  the  Loch, 
being  one  of  the  happiest  creations  of  Mr 
Kochead.  The  building  of  West  Shandon 
house  extended  over  many  years,  but  the 
great  tower  erected  in  1852  practically 
fixes  the  date  of  the  present  edifice,  and 
the  following  is  a  copy  of  the  writing 
deposited  under  the  foundation-stone  in 
the  north-east  corner  : — 


"WEST  SHANDON,  18th  February  1852. 

"  This  parchment,  along  with  newspapers 
and  a  few  coins,  was  deposited  this  day 
under  the  Tower  of  West  Shandon  House. 


168  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Another  bottle  (containing  one  specimen  of 
each  of  the  gold,  silver,  and  copper  coins  at 
present  in  circulation,  with  the  newspapers 
and  other  statistical  papers  of  this  date, 
also  a  brass -plate  having  the  names  of 
the  family  engraved  on  it)  has  been  de- 
posited in  another  part  of  the  building. 

"  Those  bottles,  &c.,  &c.,  have  been  de- 
posited by  Robert  Napier,  Engineer,  Glas- 
gow, and  feuar  of  West  Shandon,  for  the 
amusement  it  may  be  of  some  future 
generation,  provided  that  the  means  taken 
to  preserve  the  parchment  and  paper 
prove  successful.  R.  NAPIER." 

The  local  stone  not  being  well  suited  to 
the  style  of  architecture,  fine  white  sand- 
stone was  brought  from  Bishopbriggs  vid 
the  Forth  and  Clyde  Canal ;  and  the  wood- 
work of  the  house,  after  various  differences 
with  contracting  joiners,  was  completed  by 
men  from  Govan  shipbuilding  yard. 


WEST  SHANDON.  169 

In  designing  and  building  the  house, 
special  attention  was  paid  to  producing  a 
structure  that  would  give  little  trouble  in 
the  way  of  repairs  ;  and  to  obtain  this  end 
expensive  expedients  were  adopted,  which 
the  test  of  time  fully  justified. 

Mr  Napier  took  the  greatest  interest  in 
Mr  Rochead's  work,  and  made  so  many 
alterations  on  the  plans  that  he  was  said 
to  have  been  his  own  architect. 

Reference  is  made  to  West  Shandon 
in  'The  English  Gentleman's  House/  and 
there  is  a  criticism  by  Professor  Kerr, 
from  which  we  quote  a  few  extracts  : — 


This  plan  is  presented  in  our  series  as  an 
extreme  case  of  intentional  irregularity.  No 
doubt  there  is  much  of  the  merit  of  convenience 
obtained  by  this  total  want  of  conventional 
regularity.  The  entrance-hall  is  much  too  small, 
unless  we  include  with  it  the  interior  vestibule, 
which  again,  if  large  enough,  becomes  awkward 
in  form.  The  cloak-room  is  a  good  item.  .  .  . 


170  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

The  three  public  rooms  form  a  good  suite  of  its 
kind.  The  library  is  very  good.  .  .  . 

The  dining-room  must  be  considered  out  of 
rule  except  as  a  sitting-room ;  the  character  of 
form  is  not  that  of  an  eating-room  at  all ;  no 
doubt  considerations  of  prospect  have  governed 
the  case.  .  .  . 

The  offices  generally  are  very  confined,  and 
not  instructive.  The  same  must  be  said  of  the 
museums,  picture-gallery,  and  billiard-room  in  their 
relations  to  each  other  and  to  other  apartments. 

To  cover  over  in  this  way  the  space  which 
is  generally,  in  such  a  plan,  an  interior  court, 
is  not  to  be  commended ;  there  is  too  much 
ceiling  light  and  borrowed  light  in  consequence, 
and  with  these  comes  stagnation  of  air  and 
unwholesomeness,  perhaps  even  on  the  pleasant 
shores  of  the  Gareloch  itself. 

Mr  Napier  evidently  did  not  think  the 
criticism  complimentary,  so  he  wrote  the 
author  on  the  subject,  and  the  Professor 
replied,  saying — 

The  mediaeval  type  of  arrangement  is  char- 
acterised by  what  you  quote  as  "  disorderly  con- 


^P  m  Serving  ftoom 

Dining    Room  I      — — — 

I      Butlers 
^  I        Pantry  . 

••     M  -P   4  P— 


GROUND        FLOOR. 


ale.  1  Inch  to    30  ]•«. 


PLAN    OF    WHST    SHANDON. 


WEST  SHAN  DON.  171 

venience " :  the  classical  type  rests  upon  orderly 
(in  too  many  cases)  inconvenience.  Between 
the  two,  I  prefer  the  want  of  order  to  the  want 
of  convenience ;  and  so  evidently  do  you.  As 
for  bad  plans,  I  could  have  selected  them  by 
the  dozen ;  but  a  plan  which  is  not  bad,  but 
the  contrary,  and  at  the  same  time  unusually 
characteristic,  was  the  object  of  my  careful  search, 
and  I  thought  your  house  a  most  striking  one 
in  this  respect,  and  well  worthy  of  study.  A 
passing  jest  or  two  in  speaking  of  it  appears 
to  catch  the  eye  of  some  people,  but  this  is 
nothing.  I  think  I  may  presume  that  you 
desire  to  have  an  unconventional  unembarrassed 
house,  and  your  success  is  complete.  That  such 
success  must  be  paid  for  by  the  acceptance  of  a 
few  drawbacks  is  but  a  truism  that  one  scarcely 
needs  to  suggest. 


Those  who  can  recall  Robert  Napier  as 
a  capable  business  man  are  now  but  few, 
as  it  is  more  than  forty  years  since  he 
personally  negotiated  a  contract ;  but  in 
his  capacity  as  owner  of  West  Shan  don, 
making  friends  of  young  and  old  by  his 


172  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

geniality,    he    lives    in    the    memory    of 
manv. 

9f 

The  most  attractive  part  of  the  house  was 
the  museum  and  picture-gallery,  where  was 
to  be  found  one  of  the  finest  amateur  col- 
lections in  Scotland,  of  which  an  elaborate 
catalogue  was  compiled  by  Mr  J.  C.  Rob- 
inson  of  the  South  Kensington  Museum. 
There  were  many  typical  examples  of  the 
early  Italian,  Dutch,  and  Flemish  masters. 
Eafifaelle  was  represented  by  a  Holy  Trin- 
ity, which  once  formed  part  of  the  collec- 
tion of  David,  the  eminent  French  painter  ; 
Titian,  by  a  portrait  of  his  daughter ; 
Guido,  by  a  Magdalen  from  Lord  Ches- 
terfield's collection ;  Paul  Veronese,  Tin- 
toretto, and  Da  Yinci,  by  Scripture  sub- 
jects. The  landscape  art  of  Italy  was 
illustrated  in  the  works  of  Pannini, 
Salvator  Rosa,  and  other  well-known 
artists.  There  were  numerous  examples 
from  the  brush  of  Rembrandt,  Rubens, 


WEST  SHANDON.  173 

and  Vandyck,  and  some  of  the  masterpieces 
of  Quentin  Matsys  and  Teniers,  such  as 
the  Rent-Day,  the  Card-Players,  &c.  There 
were  also  specimens  of  the  art  of  Verboeck- 
hoven,  Van  Schendel,  Cuyp,  Jan  Steen, 
Haghe,  and  other  Dutch  painters. 

Pictures  by  Claude,  Greuze,  and  Murillo 
adorned  the  walls  ;  and  the  school  of  British 
art  was  represented  by  Reynolds,  Wilkie, 
Raeburn,  and  contemporary  artists. 

In  the  museum  were  to  be  found  inlaid 
ecritoirs,  marqueterie  bureaus,  buhl  cabi- 
nets, screens  covered  with  Gobelins  tapes- 
try, and  many  fine  pieces  of  decorative 
furniture. 

Valuable  selections  of  Dresden,  Vienna, 
and  other  European  porcelain  found  a 
home  in  cases  set  around  the  rooms. 

Naturally  the  French  art  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century  was  well  represented,  the 
Sevres  porcelain  specimens  being  of  special 
interest,  and  including  parts  of  sets  of 


174  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

which  the  other  pieces  were  scattered  over 
Europe.  Five  pieces  of  great  beauty  be- 
longed to  a  set  of  which  the  remainder  was 
the  property  of  her  late  Majesty  Queen 
Victoria,  and  these  formed  one  of  his 
special  treasures. 

The  collection  of  miniatures,  snuff-boxes, 
bijouterie,  clocks,  and  watches  was  most 
extensive  and  unique,  and  the  whole  was 
set  out  exquisitely. 

His  taste  for  ornamental  smith-work,  as 
became  a  descendant  of  Tubal-Cain,  was 
displayed  in  curious  old  locks  and  keys, 
metal -work,  guns,  swords,  armour,  and 
accoutrements  of  all  kinds. 

Numerous  pieces  of  sculpture  by  Fillans 
and  others  stood  in  prominent  positions 
in  the  hall  and  elsewhere,  but  special 
attention  was  always  directed  to  a  statue 
of  a  veiled  lady  executed  by  the  famous 
Thorwaldsen. 

The    gathering    together    of    so    tine    a 


WEST  SHANDON.  175 

collection  of  articles  of  vertu,  though  a 
task  of  no  small  difficulty,  was  a  source 
of  the  greatest  pleasure  to  their  owner. 
He  was  justly  proud  of  it,  and  at  all 
times  he  was  delighted  to  show  the  house 
and  its  treasures  to  his  friends.  The 
majority  of  his  visitors  had  no  special 
knowledge  of  art,  but  all,  even  the 
children,  had  beauties  pointed  out  to 
them,  and  went  away  with  memories 
that  did  not  easily  fade. 

The  grounds,  which  were  laid  out  with 
great  artistic  taste,  were  a  distinguishing 
feature  of  West  Shandon.  The  winter 
climate  on  the  Gareloch  permits  the 
growth  of  various  foreign  trees  and  shrubs 
too  tender  to  succeed  elsewhere,  and 
conifers  and  rhododendrons  were  freely 
planted,  whereby  beauty  was  conferred 
upon  the  spot  as  noticeable  in  winter 
as  in  summer. 

Mr  Napier's  hospitality  was  boundless, 


176  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

and  is  well  illustrated  by  his  offer  to 
place  his  establishment  at  the  disposal 
of  Lord  Dalhousie,  Governor  of  India, 
who  happened  to  be  staying  in  a  hotel 
at  Arrochar.  To  this  offer  the  Marquis 
replied  as  follows  : — 

ARROCHAR,  September  15,  1856. 

SIR, — I  am  unable  to  thank  you  sufficiently  for 
your  most  kind  and  courteous  letter.  Its  kind- 
ness is  so  spontaneous  and  so  manifestly  genuine, 
that  I  should  accept  your  proposed  hospitality 
with  the  greatest  pleasure  were  it  not  that  my 
movements  are  necessarily  so  uncertain  that  I 
should  not  be  justified  in  putting  you  to  the 
inconvenience  which  my  acceptance  of  your  pro- 
posal would  inflict  upon  you. 

I  trust,  however,  that  you  will  so  far  permit  me 
to  profit  by  your  courtesy,  as  to  consider  your 
letter  the  commencement  of  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  you,  and  that  you  will  allow  me,  when 
I  shall  have  put  away — if  ever  I  do  put  away — 
my  crutches,  to  take  some  opportunity  of  present- 
ing myself  to  you,  and  of  personally  thanking  you 
and  Mrs  Napier  for  the  very  gratifying  instance 


WEST  SHANDON.  177 

you  have  afforded  me  of  real  Scottish  hospitality. 
— I  beg  to  remain,  my  dear  Sir,  with  many 
thanks,  your  very  faithful  servant, 

DALHOUSIE. 

K.  NAPIER,  Esq. 

As  bearing  on  this  subject,  we  may 
subjoin  a  characteristic  letter  from  his 
intimate  friend  Mr  Lome  Campbell,  who 
was  factor  to  the  Duke  of  Argyle,  and 

resided  at  Port-na-kill. 

• 

ROSNEATH,  Thursday. 

MY  DEAR  ROBERT  NAPIER, — Of  course  you  know 
we  have  Lord  John  Russell  here,  and  you  will 
be  glad  to  know  they  have  seen  the  Loch  on 
Tuesday  afternoon  for  the  first  time  in  the 
perfection  of  beauty.  Among  the  first  objects 
that  attracted  his  quick  eye  was  your  chateau : 
and  on  my  telling  him  whose  it  was,  and  what 
a  terrible  fellow  you  are,  he  launched  forth  at  once 
on  the  Duke,  the  Cunarders,  and  all  you  have  done 
for  them,  and  said  he  would  like  to  go  and  see 
you  some  time  while  they  were  here. 

They  go  to-morrow  to  Lord  Minto's  for  a  few 
days.  He  will  likely  tell  me  when  he  proposes 

M 


178  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

to   see   you ;    and   I   will    be    sure    to    give   you 
notice,  that  you  may  be  at  home. 

They  are  most  agreeable,  easy  people ;  so  when 
they  do  go,  don't  make  too  great  an  ado  about 
them.  A  glass  of  sherry  will  serve  them  ;  and 
if  I  act  as  their  coxswain,  you  can,  if  you  like, 
give  me  a  glass  of  champagne. — Yours  very 
truly,  LORNE  CAMPBELL. 

Not  only  to  private  individuals  but  also 
to  public  bodies  he  extended  a  hearty 
welcome ;  and  he  took  a  prominent  part 
in  entertaining  the  British  Association 
when  they  visited  Glasgow  in  1855. 

Professor  Pillans,  writing  him  at  that 
time,  says  : — 

As  one  of  those  who  availed  themselves  of  your 
kindness  in  placing  the  Vulcan  steamer  at  the 
disposal  of  the  British  Association,  I  am  deputed 
by  them  to  convey  to  you,  in  their  name  and,  I 
think  I  may  venture  to  add,  in  the  name  of  all 
the  members  of  the  Association  now  assembled 
here  from  every  part  of  the  United  Kingdom, 
the  expression  of  their  cordial  thanks  and  sense 
of  obligation  for  the  opportunity  you  afforded 


WEST  SHANDON.  179 

them  in  the  "  land  of  the  mountain  and  the  flood  " 
of  renewing  old  friendships  and  forming  new  ac- 
quaintances which  to  some  may  prove  an  era  in 
their  lives,  and  to  all  will  be  a  day  of  agreeable 
recollections. 

They  regard  this  act  of  considerate  liberality  on 
your  part  as  one  of  a  series  which  promises  ere 
long  to  extend  a  designation,  hitherto  reserved  for 
the  East  India  Company,  to  the  yearly  increasing 
number  of  the  "  Merchant  Princes  "  of  Glasgow. 

While  entertaining  so  freely,  Mr  Napier 
never  forgot  that  he  had  also  responsi- 
bilities ;  and  social  needs  came  in  for  a 
full  share  of  his  bounty.  He  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  church  at  Row,  which  he 
attended  regularly.  He  was  on  very 
friendly  terms  with  the  Argyll  family, 
and  in  connection  with  the  rebuilding  of 
the  church  the  Dowager  Duchess  thus 
wrote  him  : — 

ST  LEONARDS-ON-THE-SEA, 
28th  Jan.  1850. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  should  have  replied  to  your  let- 
ter, dated  the  12th,  much  sooner,  but  my  health 


180  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

is  often  my  excuse  for  deferring  letter-writing, 
and  I  shall  therefore  hope  you  will  excuse  my 
delay. 

I  have  asked  Mr  Davidson  to  address  you  on 
the  subject  of  the  Kow  church,  &c.,  &c.  He 
manages  for  me  all  these  matters,  as  I  am  my- 
self quite  unfit  to  do  so. 

I  am  sure  the  parish  generally  are  much  in- 
debted to  you  for  the  great  interest  and  liber- 
ality with  which  you  deal  with  them. 

I  trust  all  will  be  well  and  pleasantly  arranged 
regarding  the  new  church  to  please  all  parties, 
and  to  be  conducive  above  all  things  to  the  com- 
fort of  our  worthy  minister. 

I  hope  Mrs  Napier  and  the  other  members  of 
your  family  are  quite  well. 

With  kindest  remembrances  to  Mrs  Napier  and 
yourself,  I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours  very  sincerely, 

A.  ARGYLL. 

EOBEET  NAPIER,  Esq. 
of  West  Shandon. 


The  Kev.  Laurie  Fogo,  who  succeeded 
the  saintly  John  Macleod  Campbell,  was 
minister  of  Row  parish,  and  during  his 
incumbency  the  present  handsome  church 


WEST  SHAN  DON.  181 

was  built.  To  its  erection  Mr  Napier 
contributed  liberally,  and  he  also  placed 
in  the  churchyard  an  elaborate  monu- 
ment, in  the  form  of  a  statue,  to  mark  the 
resting-place  of  Mr  Henry  Bell,  the  pioneer 
of  steam  navigation. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

EGBERT   NAPIER   &   SONS. 

FUTURE     PLANS  SANTIAGO     DIFFICULTY  JOHN     ELDER'S     DE- 
PARTURE  NAPIER    AND     ELDER    FIRMS  —  CRIMEAN    WAR — 

PERSIA — EREBUS — RETIRAL    OF    JAMES    R.    NAPIER — WESTERN 
BANK CATHEDRAL UNIVERSITY — LETTER   FROM   MELVILL. 

BY  the  middle  of  the  century  Robert  Napier 
was  at  the  zenith  of  his  greatness  and 
fame.  He  had  successfully  introduced  on 
the  Clyde  iron  shipbuilding  for  large  ves- 
sels, and  other  firms  that  had  sprung  from 
him  were  developing  the  industry. 

Being  now  sixty  years  of  age,  he  was 
desirous  of  greater  leisure,  that  he  might 
enjoy  to  some  extent  the  fruit  of  his 
arduous  labours.  His  intentions  for  the 
future  were  that  his  business  should  be 
actively  carried  on  by  his  two  surviving 


H.M.S.    DUKE    OF    WELLINGTON,   185?. 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &   SONS.        183 

sons,  James  and  John,  assisted  by  his 
son-in-law,  Mr  Rigby,  and  his  nephew, 
James  S.  Napier  ;  and  with  this  purpose 
in  view  he  had  left  Glasgow,  and  now 
resided  permanently  at  West  Shandon,  on 
the  shores  of  the  Gareloch. 

In  the  meantime  the  Pacific  Steam  Navi- 
gation Company,  with  whom  he  was  much 
associated,  had  arranged  for  an  extension 
of  their  mail  service,  and  placed  a  contract 
with  him  for  four  large  paddle-steamers — 
the  Santiago,  Lima,  Bogota,  and  Quito.  At 
this  time  the  building-yard  at  Govan  was 
managed  by  Mr  James  R.  Napier,  and 
the  engine-works  at  Lancefield  and  Vulcan 
by  Mr  Elder,  in  conjunction  with  Mr  John 
Napier,  Mr  Elder's  son  John  occupying  the 
position  of  chief  draughtsman. 

The  managing  director  of  the  Pacific 
Company,  Mr  Just,  who  was  on  terms  of 
intimacy  with  all  parties,  gave  instructions 
to  the  respective  managers,  who  complied 


184  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

with  his  wishes ;  but  in  doing  so  due  con- 
sideration was  not  paid  to  one  of  the  con- 
ditions of  the  contract,  which  was  treated 
as  of  little  importance.  This  condition  was 
that  the  vessels  should  steam  at  the  rate 
of  12  knots  with  500  tons  on  board,  this 
weight  being  150  to  200  tons  beyond  the 
maximum  weight  the  vessels  were  intended 
to  carry  on  their  regular  voyages. 

When  tried  at  full  load-draft  the  paddle- 
wheels  of  the  Santiago  were  too  deeply 
immersed,  and  as  the  required  speed  in 
this  condition  was  not  attained,  the  Com- 
pany declined  to  accept  the  vessel.  Mr 
Napier  was  much  annoyed,  as  Mr  Just's 
instructions  had  been  complied  with,  and 
the  failure  was  due  in  large  measure  to 
alterations  from  the  original  plans.  If  his 
object  had  been  solely  to  fulfil  the  guar- 
antee as  to  speed  rather  than  serve  the 
Company,  he  could,  by  reducing  the  paddle- 
wheels  (which  would  have  cost  little),  have 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        185 

made  the  vessel  steam  12  knots  with  the 
stipulated  weight,  but  she  would  then  have 
been  useless  in  ordinary  sea -going  con- 
ditions. However,  in  his  anxiety  to  please 
he  altered  the  Santiago  at  great  expense, 
so  that  she  might  fulfil  the  literal  terms 
of  the  contract  and  prove  a  useful  steamer. 
But  he  did  not  think  that  the  directors 
used  him  well  in  claiming  to  exact  pen- 
alties for  delay  in  delivery,  and  in  con- 
sequence he  was  not  desirous  of  building 
more  vessels  for  them. 

At  this  juncture  John  Elder,  who  as 
chief  draughtsman  had  much  to  do  with 
the  Santiago  difficulty,  desired  to  leave, 
and  on  27th  August  1852  wrote  to  his 
employer  in  the  following  terms  : — 

DEAR  SIR, — In  compliance  with  the  liberty 
granted  me  in  your  favour  of  the  18th  March  and 
the  16th  June,  I  have  arranged  to  join  Messrs 
Kandolph  Elliott  &  Company.  I  shall  therefore 
feel  obliged  by  your  informing  me  what  day  I 


186  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

might  consider  myself  clear  of  my  engagement 
with  you,  and  beg  to  state  that  I  have  done 
everything  in  my  power  for  the  last  five  months 
to  render  this  change  in  the  sub-management  of 
your  establishment  as  gradual  as  possible ;  and  if 
there  is  anything  else  could  be  done  by  me  either 
before  or  after  my  dismissal  it  will  give  me  much 
pleasure  to  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity. 

The  1st  of  September  next  is  my  quarter  day, 
and,  if  convenient,  I  should  like  to  close  with  you 
and  your  sons  at  that  time. — I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours 
very  truly,  JOHN  ELDER. 

John  Elder's  agreement  was  entered  into 
in  1846,  and  did  not  expire  for  some  time. 
There  was  no  question  of  dismissal,  as  Mr 
Napier  was  sorry  to  lose  his  services ;  but 
he  reluctantly  assented  to  his  request  to 
depart  on  four  days'  notice. 

The  Pacific  Company  found  John  Elder 
an  eager  competitor  for  their  orders.  As 
is  well  known,  he  introduced  into  the 
mercantile  marine  the  compound  engine, 
with  its  consequent  reduction  of  coal 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        187 

consumption.  To  the  Pacific  Company, 
with  their  South  American  service,  this 
saving  in  coal  was  of  enormous  advantage, 
and  they  became  his  chief  supporters, 
ordering  many  vessels  from  his  firm,  and 
continuing  to  do  so  till  the  date  of  Mr 
Elder's  death,  which  took  place  in  1869. 

We  may  remark  on  the  intimate  connec- 
tion between  the  Napier  and  Elder  firms. 

Kandolph,  the  founder  of  the  latter,  was 
brought  up  in  Napier's  works,  and  started 
in  business  for  himself  in  1834.  After 
John  Elder  joined  him  they  began  ship- 
building in  Napier's  old  yard  at  Go  van. 
On  Mr  Elder's  death,  Mr  (afterwards  Sir) 
William  Pearce,  who  then  acted  as  manager 
of  Messrs  Napier's  ship-yard,  was  asked  to 
take  the  position  of  shipbuilding  partner  at 
Fairfield.  He  was  under  a  long  engagement 
with  the  Napiers,  but  they  readily  acceded 
to  proposals  for  his  advancement,  and  con- 
sented to  his  departure.  A  few  years  later 


188  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

he  became  sole  partner,  and  did  much  to 
enhance  the  reputation  of  the  Clyde  as 
a  shipbuilding  centre,  his  chief  triumphs 
being  the  Cunard  steamers  Umbria  and 
J?truria,  in  the  construction  of  which  he 
was  ably  assisted  by  Mr  Shepherd,  who 
succeeded  him  at  Napier's  establishment, 
and  afterwards  followed  him  to  Fairfield. 

When  John  Elder  was  leaving,  Mr  A.  C. 
Kirk  was  entering  on  his  apprenticeship 
at  Vulcan  Foundry.  This  most  talented 
engineer,  on  completion  of  his  indenture, 
went  to  London,  where  he  occupied  a 
prominent  position  in  Messrs  Maudslays' 
establishment.  On  his  return  to  Scotland 
he  became  manager  of  Messrs  Youngs' 
Paraffin  Works,  where  he  revolutionised 
the  industry.  A  few  years  later  he  took 
charge  of  Messrs  Elders'  Engine-Works,  and 
superintended  their  transference  from  Centre 
Street  to  the  present  premises  at  Fairfield. 

On   the    death    of  Mr   Napier  he,   with 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        189 

others,  acquired  the  business  of  R.  Napier 
&  Sons,  and  in  his  capacity  as  senior 
partner  upheld  the  firm's  reputation.  He 
took  an  active  part  in  the  introduction 
of  steel  into  shipbuilding,  and  built  the 
Parisian,  the  first  Atlantic  mail -steamer 
constructed  of  the  new  material.  In  1881 
he  successfully  introduced  into  the  mer- 
cantile marine  the  triple  expansion  engine, 
which  has  since  been  universally  adopted ; 
and  a  few  years  later  was  entrusted  by  the 
Russian  and  British  Governments  with 
their  first  orders  for  this  class  of  machinery. 
The  last  mail-steamer  he  engined  was  the 
Orient  liner  Ophir,  which  was  selected  as 
the  vessel  best  suited  for  the  conveyance 
of  their  Royal  Highnesses  the  Prince  and 
Princess  of  Wales  in  their  tour  of  the 
British  dominions, — a  service  which  she 
performed  to  the  satisfaction  of  all. 

Even  at  the  present  day  the  connection 
is  maintained,  Mr  Gracie,  the  well-known 


190  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

director  of  engineering  at  Fairfield,  being 
an  old  Napier  apprentice. 

In  1853  Mr  Napier  adopted  his  sons  as 
partners,  and  altered  the  style  of  his  firm 
to  "Robert  Napier  &  Sons/7  under  which 
designation  it  was  henceforth  known.  This 
was  a  preliminary  move,  but  unfortunately 
the  change  was  not  a  success ;  and  within 
a  few  months  we  find  him  regretting  the 
step  he  had  taken,  and  making  up  his  mind 
to  revert  to  the  old  "  Robert  Napier,"  which 
he  did  in  deed  if  not  in  name. 

Mention  may  here  be  made  of  an  inter- 
esting episode  illustrating  the  peculiar 
attitude  which  the  British  Government 
occasionally  adopts  towards  its  subjects. 

Shortly  before  the  Crimean  War  the 
Russian  Government  ordered  some  engines 
from  Napier,  and  when  the  war-cloud 
darkened,  in  view  of  possible  hostilities 
they  sold  them  to  a  German  firm.  On 
declaration  of  war  the  British  Government 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        191 

seized  this  machinery,  although  technically 
it  was  the  property  of  a  neutral,  and 
promptly  despatched  an  official,  who  placed 
the  broad  arrow  on  the  engines,  and 
arranged  to  have  them  watched  day  and 
night. 

Owing  to  the  sale  effected  by  the 
Kussians,  the  position  of  matters  was 
complicated,  and  Napier  sought  the  pro- 
tection of  his  Government,  offering  to 
complete  the  engines,  and  deliver  them  to 
the  Admiralty,  provided  he  was  indem- 
nified against  any  claims  that  might  arise. 

Instead  of  acceding  to  this  apparently 
reasonable  proposal,  the  Government 
officials  coolly  made  a  claim  on  him  for 
the  expense  of  watching  the  property 
which  they  had  confiscated. 

Napier  promptly  refused  their  demand, 
and  had  recourse  to  his  friends  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  through  whom  pressure 
was  brought  to  bear  whereby  his  position 


192  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

was  properly  recognised,  and  he  obtained 
the  desired  protection. 

The  British  Government  ultimately  took 
the  engines  in  accordance  with  Napier's 
suggestion,  and  they  were  fitted  on  board 
H.M.  ships  Urgent  and  Transit.  The  latter 
vessel,  it  may  be  observed,  had  a  somewhat 
unfortunate  career,  and  was  finally  wrecked 
on  the  coast  of  China. 

The  dimensions  of  vessels  were  in  the 
meantime  still  increasing ;  so,  to  meet 
the  growing  requirements  of  shipowners, 
Napier  purchased  more  ground  at  Govan, 
and  laid  out  a  new  yard  where  he  could 
build  vessels  up  to  400  feet  long. 

Owing  to  the  conditions  of  the  Govern- 
ment subsidy,  the  Cunard  company  had 
hitherto  built  wooden  vessels  for  their 
mail  service ;  but  now  they  resolved  to 
adopt  iron,  and  gave  out  the  contract  for 
the  Persia. 

This  vessel  was  a  great  advance  on  any- 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        193 

thing  hitherto  built  on  the  Clyde,  and 
her  design  was  a  long  time  under  con- 
sideration. In  the  beginning  of  March 
1852  we  find  Napier  writing  Mr  C.  Maclver 
that  "he  was  studiously  considering  the 
Persia"  and  in  August  of  the  same  year  he 
arranged  to  make  the  engines  for  the  sum 
of  £45,000.  It  was  not  till  a  year  later 
that  the  contract  for  the  hull  was  settled, 
and  there  is  an  interesting  letter  on  this 
subject.  Writing  from  West  Shandon  on 
3rd  August  1853  to  Mr  Maclver,  he 
says  : — 

"Mr  DEAR  SIR, — Yesterday  I  arranged 
with  Mr  Burns  for  the  building  of  your 
large  iron  steamer,  and  recommended  she 
should  be  made  about  fifteen  feet  longer 
and  from  one  to  two  feet  lower.  Mr  Burns 
stated  nothing  could  be  done  in  Glasgow 
on  that  score,  the  whole  rested  with  you. 
I  therefore  think  it  best,  after  a  day's 

N 


194  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

consideration  of  the  subject,  to  write  you 
direct,  and  to  state  that  my  people  are 
to  go  over  the  details  of  the  specification 
with  Mr  R.  Thomson  previous  to  the  same 
being  laid  before  you  for  approval.  But 
as  the  dimensions  are  what  R.  Thomson 
cannot  touch,  I  have  to  request  that  you 
give  the  following  your  immediate  con- 
sideration and  attention,  as  I  am  most 
uneasy  regarding  the  success  of  this  vessel 
as  a  whole  ;  for  I  am  convinced,  unless 
the  greatest  care,  attention,  and  judgment 
are  exercised  in  the  getting  up  of  this 
large  vessel  with  a  limited  power,  that 
there  is  a  very  great  risk  of  failure  in  one 
thing  or  another.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  care  is  taken,  and  we  are  not  un- 
necessarily tramelled  as  to  dimensions,  &c., 
/  have  no  fears  but  that  a  good  result  will 
be  obtained,  and  I  think  from  the  past 
experience  had  of  my  character  in  such 
matters  you  may  have  every  confidence 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        195 

that  I  shall  not  propose  or  recommend 
anything  to  you  that  is  at  all  likely  not 
fully  to  answer  its  purpose." 

Then  follow  the  technical  details,  and 
the  letter  closes  with  the  remark — 

"Excuse  my  anxiety  as  to  this  vessel. — 
Yours  faithfully,  R.  NAPIER. 

"C.  MAoIvBR,  Esq." 

The  consideration  of  dimensions  and 
plans  extended  over  many  months,  and 
it  was  the  summer  of  1854  before  work 
was  fairly  started. 

The  Persia  was  390  feet  over  all  by  45 
feet  beam,  having  a  gross  tonnage  of  3600 
tons.  She  had  double  side-lever  engines, 
with  cylinders  100J  inches  in  diameter, 
a  stroke  of  10  feet,  and  wheels  fully  40 
feet  in  diameter.  Everything  that  care 
and  skill  could  devise  to  make  her  a  strong 
and  a  safe  ship  was  done. 

Her  frames  were  spaced  18  inches  apart, 


196  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

and  at  the  bow  were  placed  diagonally, 
with  a  view  to  greater  strength  in  the 
event  of  a  collision.  This  arrangement 
stood  her  in  good  stead  when  on  one 
occasion  she  ran  into  an  iceberg  stem 
on,  and  escaped  with  slight  damage.  Her 
cabins  were  of  the  most  sumptuous  de- 
scription, and  accommodation  was  provided 
for  nearly  300  passengers.  Her  cost  was 
about  £130,000,  and  at  the  time  of  her 
launch,  which  took  place  in  the  presence 
of  50,000  people,  she  was  the  finest  and 
largest  vessel  afloat. 

She  was  tried  in  January  1856,  and 
steamed  from  the  Cloch  Lighthouse  to 
Bell  Buoy,  a  distance  of  175  knots,  in 
10  hours  43  minutes,  this  speed  working 
out  at  the  rate  of  over  16  knots  an  hour. 

At  the  trial  trip,  in  proposing  the  health 
of  the  builder,  Mr  Burns  said,  "  Mr  Napier 
had  built  forty  large  vessels  for  the  Com- 
pany's lines,  and  there  never  had  been 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        197 

a  fault  or  a  mistake  from  the  starting  to 
the  carrying  out  of  any  one  of  them. 
This  was  saying  a  vast  deal,  but  they  were 
so  indebted  to  him." 

The  Persia  may  be  considered  the  first 
of  the  Atlantic  greyhounds.  She  added 
much  to  the  prestige  of  the  Cunard  Com- 
pany, it  being  humorously  observed  in 
reference  to  her  builder,  "  She  has  nae  peer 
on  the  Atlantic."  Even  the  English  papers 
wrote,  "It  must  be  confessed  she  is  the 
finest  ship  afloat.  What  can  be  done  by 
others  is  one  thing,  what  has  been  done 
by  Mr  Napier  is  another."  Mr  Kirkcaldy 
drew  a  sectional  plan  of  her,  which  had  the 
unique  distinction  of  being  the  only  mechan- 
ical drawing  ever  exhibited  at  the  Royal 
Academy. 

During  the  Crimean  War  the  Govern- 
ment ordered  from  London  and  elsewhere 
wooden  ships  cased  with  iron  plates ; 
but  as  these  were  not  a  success,  they 


198  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

commissioned  Napier  to  build  an  iron 
vessel  of  a  similar  description.  She  was 
called  the  Erebus,  and  the  most  extra- 
ordinary exertions  were  put  forth  to  con- 
struct her  rapidly,  as  the  contract  was  taken 
with  a  penalty  of  £1000  a-day.  She  was 
186  feet  long  by  48J  feet  broad,  and  was 
cased  with  4J-inch  armour  plates  placed 
on  6-inch  teak  backing.  The  work  was 
pushed  on  night  and  day,  no  fewer  than 
1200  men  being  employed  on  her  con- 
struction. Laid  down  in  the  beginning 
of  the  year,  she  was  launched,  with  her 
machinery  on  board,  on  19th  April  1856, 
having  been  only  three  and  a  half  months 
in  hand.  She  left  next  day  for  Ports- 
mouth, and  reached  Spithead  at  the  close 
of  the  naval  review  held  then  on  23rd 
April.  The  credit  for  this  exploit  was 
largely  due  to  Mr  James  R.  Napier,  but 
the  strain  told  severely  on  his  health,  and 
soon  afterwards  he  retired  from  the  firm. 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        199 

James  R.  Napier,  while  not  a  practical 
business  man,  was  possessed  of  high 
scientific  attainments.  Educated  at  Glas- 
gow University,  where  he  took  a  high 
place  in  the  mathematical  classes  taught 
by  Professor  Thomson,  the  father  of  Lord 
Kelvin,  he  applied  his  knowledge  to 
marine  architecture,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  to  investigate  theoretically  the 
intricate  question  of  strains  in  iron 
vessels.  He  was  an  intimate  friend  of 
Professor  Rankine,  who  joined  with  him 
and  others  in  writing  a  treatise  on  ship- 
building, which  was  recognised  as  a 
standard  work. 

He  also  instituted  elaborate  measured 
mile  trials  (now  so  universal)  for  the  pur- 
pose of  acquiring  accurate  data  regarding 
the  performances  of  vessels.  He  was  an 
advocate  of  hollow  water-lines,  and  had 
strong  views  on  this  subject  which  were 
exemplified  in  a  steamer  called  the 


200  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

AtJwnasian,  built  by  him  to  illustrate 
them. 

After  retiral  from  business  he  devoted 
his  time  to  scientific  pursuits,  and  his 
society  was  much  cultivated  by  Lord 
Kelvin,  in  conjunction  with  whom  many 
abstruse  problems  were  investigated. 

He  made  several  long  sea -voyages, 
and  devoted  special  attention  to  matters 
connected  with  navigation,  such  as  per- 
fecting compasses  and  methods  of  obtain- 
ing rapidly  deep  sea  -  soundings,  ideas 
which  his  friend  Lord  Kelvin  afterwards 
brought  to  perfection. 

He  built  a  fishing  steamer  called  the 
Islesman,  in  which  were  embodied  most 
of  the  ideas  to  be  found  in  the  modern 
well-trawler. 

For  ordinary  domestic  wants  he  patented 
stoves,  and  an  apparatus  for  making  coffee 
which  is  still  unsurpassed,  and  known  by 
the  familiar  name  of  "The  Napier  Coffee-pot." 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.         201 

An  active  member  of  the  Glasgow  Philo- 
sophical Society,  he  took  a  great  interest 
in  similar  institutions,  including  the  British 
Association  and  the  Royal  Society  of 
London,  which  recognised  his  attainments 
by  electing  him  a  Fellow. 

On  the  retiral  of  his  eldest  son  the 
business  was  carried  on  by  Mr  Napier 
and  his  second  son  John,  who  attended 
most  diligently  to  the  affairs  of  the  con- 
cern, assisted  by  able  managers  whom  he 
selected,  such  as  Mr  Walter  Brock,  now 
of  Messrs  Denny  &  Co.,  Mr  Pearce,  Mr 
Shanks,  and  others. 

Advances  were  made  to  Mr  James  S. 
Napier  to  resume  his  connection  with  the 
firm,  but  though  the  relationship  was  most 
intimate  and  cordial  he  preferred  to  remain 
outside.  No  partnership  was  offered  to 
any  others,  and  Mr  Napier  and  his  son 
remained  the  sole  partners  till  the  date 
of  the  former's  death. 


202  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Mr  Napier  took  a  warm  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  the  City  of  Glasgow,  but  he 
never  aspired  to  municipal  honours,  though 
his  son-in-law  Mr  Alexander  Hastie  was 
Lord  Provost,  and  represented  the  City  in 
Parliament. 

In  1857,  at  the  time  of  the  disasters  to 
the  Western  and  City  of  Glasgow  Banks, 
there  was  great  distress,  and  Mr  Burns, 
who  had  been  interested  in  the  "Western 
Bank,  wrote  Mr  Napier  as  follows  : — 

GLASGOW,  Zlth  November  1857. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — A  deputation  is  going  to  Govern- 
ment on  the  present  state  of  money  matters  here, 
and  I  have  been  requested  to  beg  most  urgently 
that  you  will  join  it.  You  will  not  be  asked  to 
do  anything  more  than  show  face;  but  that  is 
considered  of  consequence,  and  I  am  sure  you 
will  be  willing  to  lend  a  helping  hand. — Yours 
very  truly,  G.  BURNS. 

To  EGBERT  NAPIER,  Esq., 
Golden  Cross,  London. 

The    deputation    was    to    consist   of  the 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        203 

Lord  Provost  and  some  leading  men ;  and 
in  the  letter  intimating  to  Mr  Napier 
that  he  had  been  nominated,  Mr  Crichton 
says  :  "  You  have  been  selected  as  being 
the  employer  of  a  very  large  number  of 
mechanics,  and  as  being  perhaps  better 
known  to  the  Government  than  any  other 
private  citizen  of  Glasgow." 

Mr  Napier,  however,  while  sympathising 
with  the  distress,  did  not  see  his  way  to 
join  in  the  movement,  which  came  to 
nothing. 

One  outcome  of  the  visit  which  her 
Majesty  Queen  Victoria  paid  to  Glasgow 
in  1849  was  a  revival  of  interest  in  the 
Cathedral ;  and  a  movement  was  set  on 
foot  to  improve  the  edifice,  and  introduce 
stained  glass  windows  in  the  aisle  to  give 
a  dim  religious  light.  In  this  scheme  Mr 
Napier  took  a  great  interest,  and  he  wrote 
Sir  Andrew  Orr,  who  was  then  Lord  Pro- 
vost, expressing  his  views. 


204  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

"WEST  SHANDON,  21s*  April  1857. 

"  MY  DEAR  LORD  PROVOST, — I  am  favoured 
with  your  note  of  yesterday  requesting 
me  to  attend  a  meeting  of  Committee 
on  Friday  next  to  consider  the  Report 
upon  Cathedral  Windows. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  a  previous  engagement 
for  that  day  (and  which  I  cannot  get  off 
from)  will  prevent  me  from  being  present. 

"  I  have,  however,  much  pleasure  in  stat- 
ing that  I  consider  Mr  Stirling  and  the 
gentlemen  who  drew  up  the  report  de- 
serve the  best  thanks  of  the  subscribers 
for  the  careful,  clear,  and  concise  manner 
in  which  they  have  placed  the  whole  sub- 
ject connected  with  this  painted  glass 
movement  before  all  who  are  interested 
in  it. 

"I  notice  that  the  feeling  of  the  Com- 
mittee is  decidedly  in  favour  of  employing 
foreign  artists.  Seeing  such  is  the  case, 
I  will  not  dissent,  although  I  would  have 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        205 

liked  that  native  artists  had  had  a  chance. 
But  I  do  dissent  from  giving  the  order 
to  the  royal  factory  at  Munich,  or  to  any 
other  party,  without  a  more  careful  ex- 
amination of  the  matter  than  has  yet  been 
done.  I  do  not  object  to  the  high  price 
of  the  Munich  glass  if  it  really  is  so  much 
better  than  other  painted  glass.  I  have, 
however,  my  doubts  on  this  subject ;  and 
in  this  I  am  strengthened  by  the  enclosed 
letter  received  from  Mr  M 'George,  and  also 
by  the  opinion  of  others.  I  quite  agree 
with  the  Committee  that  quality  more  than 
price  should  be  attended  to  ;  but  if  an 
equally  good  or  better  quality  can  be  got 
at  a  much  lower  price,  this  is  a  matter 
of  great  importance  for  all  concerned,  and 
ought  not  to  be  overlooked. 

"  I  know  the  subject  from  its  novelty 
has  many  apparent  difficulties ;  still,  they 
are  not  insurmountable. 

"  If  Mr  Stirling  or  any  of  the  Committee 


206  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

could  spare  time,  and  could  get  a  gentle- 
man such  as  Digby  Wyatt,  or  any  other 
neutral  person  acquainted  with  art,  to  go 
along  with  him  to  the  Continent,  and  see 
what  has  been  done  and  doing  in  stained 
glass,  and  report,  the  time  and  money 
would  be  well  spent,  I  think. — I  am,  my 
dear  Lord  Provost,  yours  faithfully, 

"R  NAPIER." 

Mr  Napier  and  his  son  John  are  each 
represented  by  a  window  in  the  south-east 
corner  of  the  choir  of  the  Cathedral,  the 
subjects  being  Simon  and  Matthias  the 
apostles. 

He  also  took  part  in  the  movement  for 
transferring  the  University  to  a  more  suit- 
able site ;  and  his  firm  subscribed  £2000 
towards  the  fund  for  erecting  the  new 
buildings  at  Gilmorehill. 

In  the  midst  of  multitudinous  corre- 
spondence Napier  still  kept  in  touch  with 


ROBERT  NAPIER  &  SONS.        207 

old  friends,  such  as  Duncan  and  Melvill, 
the  latter  of  whom  was  now  a  K.C.B. 
This  chapter  may  therefore  be  fittingly 
closed  with  a  letter  showing  that  the 
opinion  Sir  James  had  expressed  to  Cunard 
in  former  years  as  to  Napier's  capability 
had  only  intensified  with  years. , 

EAST  INDIA  HOUSE,  24£A  December  1856. 

MY  DEAR  MR  NAPIER,  —  Very  many  thanks 
for  the  memorial  so  well  told  and  illustrated  of 
that  great  man  Watt. 

"Were  he  alive  he  would  designate  my  friend 
Robert  Napier  as  the  man  who,  above  all  other 
living  men,  has  given  practical  effect  to  the 
inventions  of  Watt,  and  has  passed  to  the  world 
the  great  blessing  of  steam  navigation.  I  in 
my  conscience  believe  that  the  best  vessels 
afloat  are  those  with  which  you  have  had  to  do. 

Many  happy  Christmases  to  you,  my  dear 
friend,  and  to  dear  Mrs  Napier,  and  to  all  your 
family,  to  each  of  whom  pray  present  our  united 
regards  and  best  wishes.  —  Ever  affectionately 
yours,  JAMES  C.  MELVILL. 


IRONCLADS. 

ADMIRALTY     ORDERS     BLACK    PRINCE PARKHEAD     FORGE  —  ROLF 

KRAKE — TURKISH   FRIGATES — NEPTUNE — SCOTIA — CAPE  MAIL- 
STEAMERS QUEEN   OF    THE    THAMES — PRACTICAL     RETIRAL — 

"  MEASURED      MILE  " LAST      PUBLIC      APPEARANCE HOS- 
PITALITY  HONOURS. 

ALTHOUGH  nearly  seventy  years  of  age, 
Mr  Napier  was  still  very  active.  This 
is  amply  proved  by  the  fact  that  he  then 
struck  out  into  a  new  line  whereby  he 
increased  his  fame,  making  the  building  of 
battleships  a  special  feature  of  his  business. 
The  Emperor  Napoleon  III.  had  given 
orders  for  the  construction  of  an  ironclad 
frigate  called  the  Gloire.  This  new  de- 
parture, coupled  with  an  unusual  activity 
in  the  French  dockyards,  caused  disquiet 
in  the  mind  of  the  British  Government. 


IRONCLADS.  209 

To  meet  the  emergency  the  Admiralty 
determined  to  lay  down  large  sea -going 
vessels,  cased  with  armour  plates ;  and 
in  the  early  part  of  1859  they  addressed 
to  Messrs  Napier  a  confidential  letter, 
requesting  a  design  and  suggestions  for 
a  shot-proof  frigate  of  36  guns,  cased  with 
4^-inch  armour  plates  from  the  upper 
deck  to  five  feet  below  the  load  water- 
line,  to  steam  13J  knots,  and  to  be  capable 
of  carrying  weights  amounting  to  1200 
tons,  in  addition  to  coals  for  at  least  seven 
days  full  steaming. 

Mr  Napier  personally  went  very  care- 
fully into  the  details  of  the  design,  and 
in  the  end  of  February  submitted  three 
models  and  plans  for  the  proposed  ship. 
Two  months  later  he  received  the  follow- 
ing letter  : — 

ADMIRALTY,  30th  April  1859. 

SIR, — I  am  commanded  by  my  Lords  Commis- 
sioners of  the  Admiralty  to  thank  you  for  your 

0 


210  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

ready  and  cheerful  compliance  with  their  wishes, 
and  for  the  very  creditable  design  furnished 
by  you  for  an  iron-cased  frigate ;  and  am  now 
to  request  you  will  state  the  price  per  ton  and 
the  shortest  time  you  will  require  for  building 
a  vessel  of  this  description,  the  drawings  and 
specification  for  which  will  be  ready  for  inspec- 
tion at  the  office  of  the  Surveyor  of  the  Navy 
on  Monday  next.  The  tenders  are  to  be  sent 
under  seal  to  the  Surveyor  of  the  Navy,  marked 
"  Tender  for  Iron  Vessel,"  so  as  to  be  received 
by  noon  on  Saturday  the  7th  May. — I  am,  Sir, 
your  obedient  servant,  H.  CORRY. 

E.  NAPIER,  Esq. 

It  will  be  observed  that  less  than  a 
week  was  given  within  which  to  inspect 
the  drawings  and  specification  and  send 
in  a  tender ;  but  yet  Mr  Napier  on  6th 
May  offered  to  build  and  engine  the  ship 
within  a  year  for  the  sum  of  £283,000 
sterling.  In  his  letter  of  offer,  reference 
was  made  to  the  novelty  of  the  work,  and 
the  difficulty  of  forming  a  fair  estimate  of 
the  cost  and  time  necessary.  There  was 


IRONCLADS.  211 

also  a  proposal  to  build  the  vessel  in  less 
than  the  time  named,  if  required,  leaving 
the  remuneration  for  " forced  labour"  to 
be  determined  by  the  Admiralty. 

Mr  Napier  was  not  successful  in  obtain- 
ing the  contract  for  the  first  frigate,  the 
Warrior,  which  was  given  to  the  Thames 
Company,  but  a  few  months  afterwards,  on 
the  23rd  September,  he  received  intimation 
that  the  Commissioners  had  decided  on 
building  a  second  vessel,  and  asking  an 
offer  for  the  hull.  A  tender  was  submitted 
on  the  3rd  October,  offering  to  build  the 
ship  at  £37,  5s.  per  ton  ;  and  three  days 
later  this  offer  was  accepted.  At  first  it 
was  intended  to  call  the  ship  the  Invincible, 
and  on  14th  January  1860  my  Lords  sent 
notification  to  this  effect.  Next  day,  how- 
ever, they  issued  new  instructions,  altering 
the  name  to  the  Black  Prince. 

The  building  of  an  ironclad  was  a  task 
fraught  with  much  difficulty,  as  the  work 


212  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

was  entirely  novel.  To  construct  the  vessel, 
more  ground  at  Govan  had  to  be  acquired, 
and  a  promise  obtained  from  the  Clyde 
Trustees  that  they  would  deepen  the  river 
to  the  depth  necessary  for  the  launch  and 
safe  seaward  passage  of  the  frigate. 

The  Black  Prince  measured  nearly  420 
feet  over  all,  and  her  displacement  was  9800 
tons.  She  was  thus  much  longer  and 
heavier  than  any  work  which  had  hitherto 
been  undertaken  in  Govan  Yard. 

The  difficulties  that  arose  during  con- 
struction were  great.  Material  capable  of 
standing  the  new  tests,  which  were  rigor- 
ously applied,  could  only  be  got  after  long 
delay  and  at  enormously  increased  cost. 

The  trouble  experienced  with  the  mas- 
sive stern  frame,  with  the  armour  plates, 
with  plans,  &c.,  so  retarded  the  work,  that 
instead  of  being  finished  in  twelve  months 
as  anticipated,  the  vessel  was  over  two 
years  in  the  Clyde  under  construction. 


IRONCLADS.  213 

All  obstacles,  however,  were  finally  over- 
come, and  the  Black  Prince,  christened 
by  Miss  Napier  of  Saughfield,  entered  the 
water  on  27th  February  1861.  Her  launch 
was  considered  such  a  great  event  in  Glas- 
gow that  it  was  made  the  occasion  of  a 
public  holiday ;  and  even  Professor  Lush- 
ington  adjourned  his  Greek  class  with  the 
remark  that  "  this  was  a  sight  the  Athen- 
ians would  have  loved  to  see."  The  vessel 
was  taken  to  Greenock  about  a  fortnight 
later  to  be  finished,  and  she  remained  there 
till  nearly  the  end  of  the  year. 

As  might  have  been  expected  in  view  of 
the  circumstances  of  the  case,  the  contracts 
for  the  Warrior  and  Black  Prince  proved 
most  unremunerative  to  the  builders ;  but 
while  the  Admiralty  willingly  compensated 
the  English  contractor,  they  declined  to 
reimburse  the  Scottish  one.  This  injus- 
tice, however,  was  not  allowed  to  pass ; 
and  eventually,  after  long  delay,  Napier 


214  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

got  his  claims  recognised  and  his  loss  in 
great  measure  made  good. 

Many  years  before  this  time  Mr  Napier 
had  acquired  the  Parkhead  Forge,  and  the 
management  of  it  was  undertaken  by  his 
son-in-law,  Mr  Eigby.  When  ironclads 
were  being  contemplated,  Mr  Rigby  induced 
his  friend  Mr  Beardmore,  who  was  then 
an  engineer  in  London,  to  join  him,  and 
they  took  over  the  Forge,  which  was 
carried  on  under  the  style  of  Messrs  Rigby 
&  Beardmore.  They  put  down  heavy 
rolling-mills,  with  the  intention  of  making 
armour  plates ;  but  not  succeeding  in  this 
the  mills  were  adapted  for  the  production 
of  ship  and  boiler  plates,  in  which  the  firm 
did  a  large  and  profitable  business.  Rigby 
died  in  1863,  and  his  widow,  advised  by 
the  Napiers,  whom  he  had  appointed  as 
his  trustees,  carried  on  the  business  in 
conjunction  with  Mr  Beardmore  till  1872. 
Mr  William  Beardmore,  who  succeeded  his 


IRONCLADS.  215 

father,  managed  to  carry  out  successfully 
the  original  intention  of  armour-plate  mak- 
ing ;  and  eventually,  in  1900,  with  a  view 
to  turning  out  a  ship  of  war  complete, 
with  armour,  guns,  engines,  &c.,  he  pur- 
chased from  the  Napiers  the  parent  busi- 
ness of  R.  Napier  &  Sons/ 

After  the  successful  completion  of  the 
Black  Prince  the  Danish  Government  com- 
missioned Messrs  Napier  to  build  a  war- 
vessel.  In  this  instance  the  Danes  had 
such  confidence  in  Mr  Napier's  integrity 
and  uprightness  that  they  made  him  sole 
arbiter  in  the  contract  which  they  entered 
into  with  Messrs  R.  Napier  &  Sons. 

The  Rolf  Krake  was  a  handy  ship  of  a 
new  design,  armed  with  four  heavy  guns, 
placed  in  turrets  or  shields,  as  patented 
by  Captain  Cowper  Coles.  In  the  war  be- 
tween Denmark  and  Prussia  in  1866  she 
gave  a  good  account  of  herself,  being  fired 
at  150  times  and  coming  off  unscathed. 


216  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

She  turned  the  tables  completely  against 
the  Prussians ;  and  competent  authorities 
have  asserted  that  if  the  Danes  had  pos- 
sessed more  Rolf  Krakes  the  result  of  the 
war  would  have  been  different. 

The  Turkish  Government  was  the  next 
foreign  Power  to  requisition  his  services, 
and  entrusted  him  with  an  order  for  three 
large  frigates — the  Osman  Ghazy,  the  Abdul 
Aziz,  and  the  Orkhan. 

David  Livingstone,  the  celebrated  African 
traveller,  was  one  of  Napier's  acquaint- 
ances ;  and  being  in  this  country  in  1865, 
he  was  asked  to  the  trial  trip  of  the  Osman 
Ghazy,  which  was  a  great  event.  Living- 
stone's reply  to  this  invitation  will  be 
read  with  interest,  containing,  as  it  does, 
a  glimpse  of  his  private  life. 

BtJRNBANK   EOAD,   HAMILTON, 

24«A  June  1865. 

MY  DEAR  MR  NAPIER, — I  thank  you  very  much 
for  kindly  remembering  me  in  the  launch  and  trial 
trip. 


IRONCLADS.  217 

I  shall  be  unable  to  avail  myself  of  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  the  launch ;  but  I  should  like  so  very 
much  to  see  an  ironclad  performing  under  your 
superintendence,  that  if  possible  I  shall  be 
present  at  the  trial  trip  of  Osman  Ghazy  on 
Wednesday. 

In  giving  the  usual  intimation  to  my  friends, 
I  quite  forgot  to  send  one  to  you  and  Mrs  Napier 
about  the  death  of  my  mother,  aged  eighty- two. 

She  said  to  me,  when  going  away  seven  years 
ago,  that  she  would  like  to  have  one  of  her 
"laddies"  to  lay  her  head  in  the  grave.  That 
wish  was  granted,  for  I  performed  the  last  duty 
to  her  yesterday. 

Tell  Mrs  Napier  that  the  great  change  appeared 
only  an  hour  before  the  close  in  quicker  breathing. 
My  sister  said,  "  I  think  the  Saviour  has  come  for 
you,  mother;  you  can  lippen  yourself  to  Him." 
"  Oh  yes,"  she  said  in  a  way  that  only  we  Scotch 
can  understand,  gave  a  last  look  to  our  little  girl, 
and  said,  "  bonnie  wee  lassie,"  closed  her  eyes,  and 
soon  all  was  over. 

We  are  thankful  to  believe  she  is  safe  in  the 
haven  of  mercy.  These  little  things  we  mention 
only  to  friends  who  can  appreciate  them. — Ever 
yours,  DAVID  LIVINGSTONE. 

After    finishing    the    warships    for    the 


218  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Sultan,  Napier  was  commissioned  by  the 
Netherlands  Government  to  build  for  them 
two  coast  -  defence  vessels,  the  De  Buffd 
and  De  Tijger. 

Further  contracts  for  large  warships  for 
the  British  Navy  followed,  and  the  stream 
of  orders  from  this  source  flowed  hence- 
forth uninterruptedly. 

While  engaged  on  this  heavy  class  of 
work,  Messrs  Napier  found  time  to  con- 
struct a  river  steamer,  the  Neptune,  with 
which  they  emulated  the  success  attained 
in  early  days  by  the  Clarence. 

The  Neptune  was  a  very  fast  boat,  and 
had  many  features  that  were  then  novel- 
ties, such  as  double  diagonal  engines 
running  at  high  speed,  Gilford's  patent 
injectors,  superheaters  in  the  funnel  up- 
takes, very  small  paddle-wheels,  iron  floats, 
&c.,  &c. 

Mr  Dunsmuir,  now  of  Messrs  Dunsmuir 
&  Jackson,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 


IRONCLADS.  219 

engine-room,  and  in  his  hands  she  was  the 
swiftest  vessel  on  the  river,  attaining  a 
speed  of  21  miles  an  hour,  with  engines 
making  seventy-three  revolutions  per  min- 
ute. After  running  two  seasons  on  the 
Clyde  she  was  sold  to  run  the  American 
blockade  between  Havanna  and  Mobile, 
Dunsmuir  agreeing  to  go  with  her. 

On  her  way  out  she  was  nearly  wrecked 
off  the  coast  of  Portugal,  having  been  navi- 
gated too  near  the  shore  among  breakers. 
She  was  given  up  as  lost,  and  no  doubt 
would  have  been  but  for  her  great  engine 
power,  by  which  she  was  literally  dragged 
through  the  surf,  which  was  breaking  over 
her,  and  thus  made  a  very  narrow  escape. 
When  coaling  at  St  Thomas  she  was 
watched  by  the  Washita,  one  of  the 
fastest  cruisers  in  the  American  Navy, 
commanded  by  the  daring  Admiral  Wilkes, 
of  Mason  and  Sliddell  fame.  No  sooner 
had  the  Neptune  cleared  the  harbour  than 


220  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

it  was  seen  that  the  cruiser  was  pursu- 
ing her.  The  chase  was  maintained  all 
day,  but  before  daylight  disappeared  the 
Washtta  was  left  hull  down  on  the  horizon. 
All  night  the  Neptune  was  kept  going  at 
her  top  speed,  and  by  next  morning  there 
was  no  appearance  of  her  pursuer. 

There  were  several  very  hot  runs  about 
Cuba,  but  she  managed  successfully  to  pass 
four  times  through  Admiral  Farragut's 
blockading  squadron.  On  one  of  these 
ventures  she  was  nearly  captured,  having 
gone  on  a  sand-bank  during  the  night 
at  the  critical  juncture  of  passing  through 
the  fleet.  She  remained  aground  for  about 
three  hours.  During  all  this  time  the 
engines  were  kept  going  at  full  speed,  and 
at  daybreak  she  had  the  good  fortune  to 
pull  off.  Had  the  vessel  not  been  excep- 
tionally strong,  it  is  evident  she  could  not 
have  stood  the  very  rough  treatment  she 
continually  received. 


IRONCLADS.  221 

The  profits  on  blockade -running  were 
enormous,  amounting  in  this  case  to 
£15,000  a  trip ;  and  Dunsmuir,  on  whom 
so  much  depended,  was  only  receiving 
£100  for  the  double  run. 

After  the  fourth  successful  run,  he  very 
reasonably  requested  that  his  remunera- 
tion should  be  doubled ;  but  the  owners 
refusing  this,  he  resigned  with  regret,  and 
on  the  next  attempt  the  Neptune  was 
captured. 

She  was  taken  as  a  prize  to  Norfolk, 
in  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  used  by  the 
Northern  States  for  watching  other  block- 
ade-runners. 

In  1861-62  two  vessels  were  built  for 
the  Cunard  Company, — the  paddle-steamer 
Scotia,  and  a  screw-steamer  called  the  China. 
The  days  of  the  Atlantic  paddle-steamer 
were  numbered ;  and  it  may  be  mentioned 
that  in  the  letter  inviting  the  tender  for  the 
Scotia  there  is  reference  to  the  possibility 


222  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

of  her  ultimate  transformation  into  a  screw, 
and  provision  was  to  be  made  for  doing 
so.  This  change  actually  took  place  some 
years  later,  when  she  was  purchased  by 
the  Telegraph  Construction  and  Mainten- 
ance Company,  and  converted  into  a  twin 
screw.  These  two  vessels  were  the  last 
ordered  by  the  Cunard  Company  from  Mr 
Napier. 

In  1864  he  undertook  to  build  two  large 
fast  screw  steamers  for  the  Compagnie 
Generale  Transatlantique — viz.,  the  Pereire 
and  the  Ville  de  Paris.  With  these  the 
blue  ribbon  of  the  Atlantic  was  wrested 
from  their  British  competitors. 

Mr  Napier  had  previous  experience  of 
the  generosity  of  the  French,  since  he 
had  attended  the  great  Exhibition  of  1855 
in  an  official  capacity,  and  had  then  been 
created  a  Chevalier  of  the  Legion  of  Hon- 
our. Now  he  was  extolled  and  feted  by 
them ;  and  when  present  at  the  Exhibition 


IRONCLADS.  223 

of  1867  the  Empress  Eugenie  was  so  struck 
with  his  dignified  appearance  that  she  re- 
quested that  he  should  be  specially  pre- 
sented to  her. 

Another  connection  he  formed  was  with 
Sir  Donald  Currie,  who  entrusted  the  con- 
struction first  of  his  sailing-ships  and 
afterwards  the  greater  part  of  his  fleet 
of  Cape  mail  -  steamers  to  Mr  Napier's 
firm. 

Special  reference  may  also  be  made  to  the 
contract  he  received  from  his  old  customers, 
the  Indian  Government,  for  the  troopship 
Malabar.  This  magnificent  specimen  of 
naval  architecture,  designed  by  Sir  E.  J. 
Reed,  was  sister  ship  to  the  Serapis,  which 
was  chosen  as  the  vessel  most  suitable  for 
his  Majesty  the  King  when,  as  Prince  of 
Wales,  he  visited  India. 

In  1870  Messrs  Devitt  &  Moore  ordered 
a  large  steamer  called  the  Queen  of  the 
Thames.  It  was  the  intention  of  her 


224  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

owners  to  run  steamers  to  Australia  cap- 
able of  making  the  passage  in  forty  days ; 
and  this  was  the  pioneer  vessel.  Messrs 
Devitt  &  Moore  contemplated  building  six 
vessels  of  her  type  to  maintain  the  ser- 
vice, but  most  unfortunately  the  steamer 
on  her  first  homeward  passage  was  wrecked 
at  Cape  Agulhas,  and  in  consequence  the 
enterprise  was  abandoned. 

Ten  years  later  the  scheme  was  again 
revived  by  Messrs  George  Thompson  &  Co., 
and  brought  to  a  successful  issue, — Messrs 
Napiers'  firm,  of  which  Dr  Kirk  was  then 
the  head,  constructing  the  Aberdeen,  the 
first  vessel  fitted  with  triple  -  expansion 
engines. 

The  Dutch  Transatlantic  Company  in 
1871  favoured  Mr  Napier  with  a  large  order; 
and  his  former  friends  the  Pacific  Company 
returned  to  him.  Contracts  such  as  these, 
along  with  numerous  important  Govern- 
ment orders,  kept  his  Works  well  employed. 


IRONCLADS.  225 

Competition  gradually  grew  keener ;  but 
Mr  Napier  always  insisted  that  the  qual- 
ity of  work  turned  out  by  his  firm  must 
be  of  the  very  best.  When  it  was  sug- 
gested to  him  that  the  exigencies  of  the 
times  required  cheaper  methods,  he  would 
hear  of  none  of  them,  saying  he  would,  if 
need  be,  retire  from  business,  but  that  his 
name  must  never  be  associated  with  work 
that  could  be  considered  in  any  way 
inferior. 

As  years  pressed  on  him  the  active 
management  devolved  more  and  more  on 
his  son,  Mr  John  Napier,  but  the  con- 
ditions with  which  he  was  confronted 
made  it  impossible  to  carry  on  the  Works 
profitably.  Mr  John  Napier  never  shrank 
from  his  difficult  task ;  but  though  an  able 
engineer,  his  attention  was  so  taken  up 
with  the  general  management  of  affairs 
that  few  opportunities  were  afforded  him 
of  indulging  his  mechanical  bent.  It  was, 

p 


226  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

however,  at  his  instance  that  "the  meas- 
ured mile"  at  Skelmorlie,  which  is  still 
considered  the  best  of  its  kind  in  the 
kingdom,  was  laid  out  and  measured,  and 
letters  were  addressed  to  all  the  ship- 
builders in  the  following  terms  : — 

"  LANCBFIELD  HOUSE,  GLASGOW, 
3<M  August  1866. 

"  DEAR  SIRS, — We  beg  respectfully  to  state 
that  having  long  felt  the  want  on  the 
Clyde  of  a  correct  measured  nautical  mile 
for  testing  the  speed  of  large  steamers 
(similar  to  what  the  Admiralty  have  near 
Portsmouth  and  elsewhere),  we  had  the 
shores  of  the  Clyde  examined  for  a  suit- 
able place  for  laying  off  a  knot ;  and  find- 
ing that  from  Skelmorlie  Pier  southwards 
would  answer  the  purpose,  we  applied  to 
the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Eglinton  for 
liberty  to  erect  beacons  on  his  property. 
This  the  Earl  at  once  most  kindly  gave 


IRONCLADS.  227 

full  permission  to  do.  We  then  employed 
Messrs  Kyle  &  Frew,  along  with  Messrs 
Smith  &  Wharrie,  Land  Surveyors,  Glas- 
gow, to  measure  and  lay  off  a  knot, 
which  they  did ;  and  thereafter  we  made 
application  to  the  Lords  Commissioners 
of  the  Admiralty,  begging  as  a  favour 
that  .they  would  send  one  of  their  officers 
to  remeasure  and  test  the  correctness 
of  this  knot,  and  we  would  willingly 
bear  the  expense.  Their  Lordships  were 
pleased  to  accede  to  our  request,  and 
afterwards  intimated  to  us  that  the  knot 
had  been  duly  tested  by  their  officers 
and  found  correct.  At  the  same  time 
they  declined  to  make  any  charge. 

"  Their  Lordships  have  caused  a  printed 
notice  to  mariners  to  be  issued  from  the 
Hydrographic  Department  of  the  Admiralty, 
of  which  the  annexed  is  a  copy. — We  are, 
dear  Sirs,  your  obedient  servants, 

"K.  NAPIER  &  SONS." 


228  ROBERT  NAPIER. 


NOTICE  TO  MARINERS. 

No.  36. 
SCOTLAND — WEST  COAST. 

Measured  Mile  in  Firth  of  Clyde. 

NOTICE  is  hereby  given  that  beacons  to  indicate 
the  length  of  a  nautical  mile  (6080  feet),  for  test- 
ing the  speed  of  steam- vessels,  have  been  erected 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Firth  of  Clyde. 

Each  beacon  consists  of  a  single  pole  45  feet 
high  with  two  arms  10  feet  long  forming  a  broad 
angle  15  feet  from  the  base,  the  whole  being 
painted  white. 

The  two  northern  beacons  are  erected  near 
Skelmorlie  Pier,  the  outer  one  being  close  to 
the  high-water  shore  on  the  south  side,  and  from 
it  the  inner  one  (in  a  recess  of  a  cliff)  is  83  yards 
distant,  bearing  S.E.  by  E.  f  E. 

The  two  southern  beacons  stand  on  level  ground 
near  Skelmorlie  Castle,  the  inner  one  being  100 
yards  from  the  outer  one,  in  a  S.E  by  E.  f  E. 
direction. 

The  courses  parallel  with  the  measured  mile  at 
right  angles  to  the  line  of  transit  of  the  beacons 


IRONCLADS.  229 

are  N.N.E.  i  E.  and  S.S.W.  i  W.  The  shore 
may  be  approached  to  the  distance  of  a  third  of 
a  mile. 

GEO.  HENRY  KICHARDS, 
Hydrographer. 

HTDROQRAPHIC  OFFICE,  ADMIRALTY, 
LONDON,  4th  July  1866. 


One  of  Mr  Napier's  last  public  appear- 
ances was  at  a  large  social  gathering  of 
his  workmen,  held  in  the  City  Hall  in 
1868,  over  which  he  presided.  At  this 
reunion  he  related  to  his  employees  for 
their  encouragement  the  story  of  his  early 
struggles,  and  displayed  as  a  token  of  his 
former  skill  the  hammer-head,  already  re- 
ferred to,  which  he  had  made  more  than 
fifty  years  previously. 

Although  he  now  rarely  visited  his 
Works,  he  was  as  active  as  ever  in  the 
social  sphere,  and  continued  to  dispense 
open-handed  hospitality  at  his  house  at 
West  Shandon.  He  was  in  the  habit  of 


230  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

getting  letters  such  as  the  following  one, 
and  these  always  called  forth  a  cordial 
response  : — 

195  WEST  GEORGE  STREET, 
Thursday,  1st  October  1874. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  been  encouraged  by 
my  mother,  who  has  the  pleasure  of  knowing 
you,  to  claim  your  acquaintance  as  a  member 
of  the  name ;  and  I  propose  to  do  myself  the 
honour  of  paying  you  a  visit  at  Shandon  on  the 
afternoon  of  Saturday  next,  if  it  is  convenient 
to  you  to  receive  me. 

I  am  staying  with  Mr  and  Mrs  C.  Tennant 
during  the  meeting  of  the  Social  Science  Con- 
gress, and  Mrs  Tennant  will  avail  herself  of 
the  same  occasion  to  pay  her  respects  to  Mrs 
Napier. — Believe  me,  my  dear  Sir,  yours  very 
faithfully,  NAPIER  and  ETTRICK. 

Almost  every  person  of  note  who  came 
to  the  West  of  Scotland  called  upon  him ; 
and  special  mention  may  be  made  of  the 
visit  which  the  Princess  Louise  paid  to 
West  Shandon  shortly  after  her  marriage 
with  the  Marquis  of  Lome.  Her  Royal 


IRONCLADS.  231 

Highness  was  so  delighted  with  her  host 
that  she  sent  him  her  photograph  as  a 
souvenir. 

In  his  closing  years  honours  flowed  in 
upon  him  from  all  quarters. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  his 
connection  with  the  French  Exhibitions ; 
and  in  a  similar  capacity  he  acted  as 
Chairman  of  the  Jury  on  Naval  Architec- 
ture at  the  London  Exhibition  of  1862. 

The  Institution  of  Mechanical  Engineers, 
of  which  he  was  a  prominent  member, 
elected  him  as  their  president  in  1864,  a 
distinction  he  enjoyed  in  common  with 
his  friends  Fairbairn,  Penn,  and  Whit- 
worth. 

He  was  also  one  of  three  honorary 
members  elected  by  the  Glasgow  Society 
of  Engineers  in  1869,  the  other  two  being 
Fairbairn  and  Sir  William  Thomson,  now 
better  known  as  Lord  Kelvin. 

In  the  same  year  the  King  of  Denmark, 


232  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

desirous  of  recognising  his  services  to 
naval  architecture,  conferred  on  him  the 
honour  of  Knight  Commander  of  the  Danne- 
brog.  A  prominent  naval  officer,  congrat- 
ulating him  on  the  occasion,  wrote  : — 

I  have  rejoiced  that  the  King  of  Denmark 
has  shown  a  proper  spirit  in  conferring  on  you 
the  honour  of  one  of  Denmark's  Orders,  and 
may  our  Queen  be  induced  to  show  her  appre- 
ciation of  your  valuable  services  to  our  Navy 
by  conferring  a  similar  honour  in  the  shape  of 
a  K.C.B.  Why  not?  for,  as  Jack  says,  'You 
builds  'em ;  we  sails  'em.'  Long  may  you  be 
spared  to  enjoy  what  you  have  already  gained. 

This  omission  was  commented  on  at 
the  time  of  Napier's  death,  one  of  the 
papers  boldly  saying  :  "  Her  Majesty  alone 
seems  to  have  been  negligent  in  recog- 
nising his  genius  by  any  distinguishing 
mark  of  royal  favour,  an  omission  which 
does  little  credit  to  the  successive  Govern- 
ments which  profited  by  his  skill,  and 


JOSEPH  WHITXVORTH, 
President. 


JOHN  PENN, 
Past  President. 


R.  NAPIER, 
Past  President. 

W.   FAIRBAIRN, 

Past  r resident. 


MANCHESTER    MEETING,   1866. 


IRONCLADS.  233 

should  have  advised  her  Majesty  of  the 
opportunity  afforded  to  her." 

This  apparent  overlook  might  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  Mr  Napier  was  not  a  politician,  and 
he  never  was  in  any  sense  of  the  word  a 
place -seeker. 

Titles,  however,  are  evanescent,  being  of 
more  importance  in  the  eyes  of  con- 
temporaries than  in  those  of  their 
descendants ;  and  posterity  will  know 
Robert  Napier  by  a  greater  designation 
as  the  father  of  modern  shipbuilding. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

CLOSING  YEARS. 

GOLDEN      WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS LOSS      OF      FRIENDS 

DEATH   OF   MRS   NAPIER — HIS   ILLNESS — DEATH — FUNERAL. 

IN  1868  Mr  and  Mrs  Napier  celebrated 
their  golden  wedding,  and  friends  came 
from  far  and  near  to  offer  congratulations 
and  good  wishes  for  their  happiness. 

What  a  change  had  taken  place  in 
these  fifty  years !  Instead  of  the  obscure 
mechanic  living  in  a  humble  dwelling  in 
Weaver  Street,  struggling  to  earn  a  sub- 
sistence for  himself  and  his  young  wife,  he 
was  now  the  most  prominent  business  man 
in  the  West  of  Scotland,  his  residence  a 
veritable  palace,  his  society  courted  by 
many  of  the  great  of  the  land.  Yet  in 


CLOSING    YEARS.  235 

the  midst  of  all  his  prosperity,  Napier 
remained  essentially  a  family  man,  and 
he  loved  to  spend  his  time  with  her  who 
had  been  the  sharer  of  his  joys  and  sorrows 
through  so  many  long  years. 

His  old  friend  Sir  Spencer  Robinson, 
Controller  of  the  Navy,  writing  him  on 
this  occasion,  said  : — 

Allow  me  to  hope  that  your  anniversary  will 
be  as  prosperous  and  as  happy  as  we  sincerely 
wish  it  may  be.  I  quite  understand  how  short  a 
time  fifty  years  may  be  to  look  back  upon ;  but 
it  is  certainly  a  great  and  unspeakable  blessing  to 
be  able  to  look  back  on  fifty  years  of  an  honoured, 
useful,  successful  public  life,  shared,  assisted,  and 
blessed  during  that  long  period  by  the  closest  and 
dearest  of  human  relations. 

Mrs  Napier  was  well  known  for  her 
sincerity  and  uniform  kindness  to  all,  and 
there  was  constant  reference  made  to  her 
by  her  husband's  numerous  correspondents. 

One  of  her  favourite  occupations  was  the 


236  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

spinning  of  flax  ;  and  Sir  George  Harvey, 
President  of  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy, 
painted  her  portrait  in  a  most  character- 
istic attitude,  seated  at  her  spinning-wheel. 
Sir  George  was  very  pleased  with  this 
work ;  and  having  expressed  a  desire  to 
her  Majesty's  Commissioners  that  his  art 
should  be  represented  by  it  in  the  Inter- 
national Exhibition  of  1872,  the  picture 
was  publicly  exhibited  there. 

Though  Mr  Napier  had  good  cause  for 
rejoicing,  still  this  joy  was  tempered  with 
sadness,  as  the  number  of  his  friends  was 
gradually  lessening.  Most  of  his  early  ac- 
quaintances, including  the  Melvills,  Asshe- 
ton  Smith,  Wood,  Duncan,  Cunard,  and  his 
old  manager  Elder,  were  gone.  From  his 
own  immediate  circle  he  had  lost  his 
brother  Peter  and  his  three  sons-in-law, 
Hastie,  Wilkin,  and  Rigby.  In  1869  his 
cousin,  David  Napier,  passed  away,  and 
his  death  was  followed  some  time  after- 


CLOSING    YEARS.  237 

wards  by  that  of  his  brother  James,  with 
whom  he  had  been  so  closely  associated. 

These  partings  he  felt  sorely ;  but  a 
heavier  trial  awaited  him.  In  the  autumn 
of  1875  Mrs  Napier,  who  for  some  time 
before  had  not  been  robust,  peacefully 
passed  away,  leaving  his  home  desolate. 
A  few  lines  written  to  his  nephew,  James 
S.  Napier,  expressed  his  feelings  : — 

"23rd  October  1875. 

"  MY  DEAR  JAMES, — It  is  my  most  melan- 
choly duty  to  inform  you  that  about 
6  o'clock  this  night  you  have  lost  a 
kind  friend,  and  I  one  of  the  very  best 
of  wives.  Inform  any  friends,  as  I  am 
not  in  a  mood  to  do  anything. — Yours 
always,  R.  NAPIER." 

His  remaining  days  were  summed  up 
in  this  pathetic  sentence,  "  I  am  not  in 
a  mood  to  do  anything."  Up  to  this 


238  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

time  he  had  taken  an  active  part  in 
everything  going  on  around  him,  but 
this  bereavement  so  affected  him  that  he 
ceased  to  have  any  special  interest  in 
his  former  pursuits. 

A  few  months  later  he  was  attacked 
with  serious  illness,  from  which  he  never 
rallied,  and  he  died  on  23rd  June  1876, 
in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age. 

To  meet  the  wishes  of  many  friends  the 
funeral  was  a  public  one. 

The  place  of  sepulture  was  adjacent  to 
the  old  churchyard  of  his  native  town, 
Dumbarton,  where  lay  the  bones  of  his 
ancestors,  and  where  his  wife  was  buried. 

On  the  day  of  the  funeral  the  inhabitants 
of  Dumbarton,  Helensburgh,  and  Govan 
showed  their  regard  by  closing  their  pre- 
mises, and  special  trains  from  Helensburgh 
and  from  Glasgow  brought  many  hundreds 
of  those  who  desired  to  pay  the  last  tribute 
of  respect. 


CLOSING    YEARS.  239 

At  Dalreoch  Toll  the  cortege  was  joined 
by  the  immediate  friends  of  the  deceased, 
and  by  fourteen  hundred  of  his  workmen, 
and  the  sorrowful  procession  wended  its 
way  to  the  parish  church. 

When  the  company  were  assembled  his 
eldest  son  addressed  them  as  follows  : — 

I  have  to  thank  you  for  myself,  and  on  behalf 
of  my  brother  and  sisters,  for  your  kindness  at 
meeting  us  to-day.  It  was  my  father's  wish, 
shortly  after  my  mother's  death,  that  at  his  own 
burial  no  special  invitations  should  be  sent,  and 
we  have  acted  accordingly.  Your  presence  here 
to-day  shows  us  more  than  anything  could  do 
the  high  respect  in  which  he  was  held  during 
his  life,  and  for  which  we  are  sincerely  grateful. 
His  grief  at  the  loss  of  my  mother  so  affected  him 
that  he  lost  all  interest  in  his  former  pursuits. 
About  three  months  ago  he  became  seriously  ill, 
but  from  the  effects  of  this  he  so  far  recovered 
as  to  be  able  on  several  occasions  to  go  out  in 
a  carriage  for  a  few  miles.  But  about  six  weeks 
ago  he  had  a  second  attack,  and  from  this  he  never 
recovered,  but  got  gradually  weaker  and  weaker 


240  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

till  he  died.  We  do  not  know  whether  he  suffered 
pain  or  not.  He  was,  however,  very  uneasy  till 
within  twenty-four  hours  of  his  death,  when  he 
appeared  to  be  asleep,  with  an  occasional  waking 
up  for  a  short  time.  We  believe  he  was  sensible 
to  the  last. 

A  service  was  conducted  by  his  friends 
the  Rev.  Dr  Jamieson  of  St  Paul's,  Glasgow, 
and  the  Rev.  Laurie  Fogo  of  Row,  and 
thereafter  the  procession  being  formed  up 
on  each  side,  the  coffin  was  carried  by 
some  of  his  oldest  workmen  to  its  last 
resting-place. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

AN   INSPIRING   MEMORY. 

"  Show  me  the  man  who  made  all  this,  for  he  must  be  worth 
knowing." 

ROBERT  NAPIER  had  a  wonderful  career, 
and  was  certainly  the  architect  of  his  own 
fortune.  Born  in  Dumbarton  of  humble 
honest  parents,  he  started  life  as  a  black- 
smith, with  no  advantages,  and  by  his 
diligence,  integrity,  and  enterprise  he 
became  the  most  prominent  business  man 
in  the  West  of  Scotland. 

When  steam  navigation  was  in  its  in- 
fancy, he  grasped  the  situation  and  saw 
its  possibilities.  The  narrow  and  shallow 
Clyde  was  by  no  means  the  natural  home 
of  marine  engineering,  and  the  difficulties 

Q 


242  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

to  obtain  its  recognition  as  such  were 
enormous.  By  superlatively  good  work 
he  overcame  the  prejudices  against  Scot- 
tish contractors,  and  through  his  efforts 
Glasgow  became  the  centre  of  the  ship- 
building of  the  world. 

With  the  successful  inception  of  the  Cun- 
ard  Company  he  attained  to  a  pinnacle 
of  greatness,  and  this  position  he  succeeded 
in  maintaining  till  his  death. 

His  great  reputation  attracted  to  the 
metropolis  of  the  "West  orders  which  pre- 
viously had  been  executed  in  London, 
Liverpool,  and  elsewhere. 

Through  his  personal  exertions,  in  the 
face  of  much  opposition,  contracts  were  ob- 
tained from  the  British  and  other  foreign 
Governments,  and  the  great  shipping  com- 
panies in  Britain  and  Europe  were  induced 
to  come  to  the  Clyde. 

Shipbuilding  reacted  on  the  coal  and 
iron  industries  of  Lanarkshire,  and  pro- 


AN  INSPIRING   MEMORY.         243 

duced  a  rapid  and  extensive  development 
of  the  City  of  Glasgow.  It  stimulated  the 
improvement  of  the  Clyde  as  a  navigable 
river,  whereby  the  prosperity  of  the  town 
as  a  seaport  was  greatly  increased. 

In  1823,  when  Napier  made  his  first 
engine,  the  annual  revenue  of  the  Clyde 
Trust  barely  amounted  to  £7000.  To-day 
it  approaches  half  a  million  sterling. 
Without  shipbuilding,  this  development 
would  have  been  impossible. 

Napier  possessed  in  great  measure  that 
talent  which  Carlyle  considered  one  of  the 
dominating  characteristics  of  a  Captain 
of  Industry  —  the  faculty  of  selection. 
This  point  need  not  be  elaborated,  as  the 
subsequent  careers  of  many  of  those  who 
served  him  justify  the  assertion. 

Most  of  the  present  leading  engineering 
firms  on  the  river  were  founded  by  men 
who  had  worked  with  him  and  his  cousin 
David. 


I 

244  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Prominent  among  these  may  be  men- 
tioned Messrs  Denny,  Messrs  James  and 
George  Thomson  (now  Messrs  John  Brown 
&  Co.),  Messrs  John  Elder  &  Co.  (now  the 
Fairfield  Shipbuilding  Co.),  Messrs  William 
Beardmore  &  Co.,  Messrs  Smith  &  Rodgers 
(now  The  London  and  Glasgow  Shipbuild- 
ing Co.),  Messrs  Tod  &  McGregor  (now 
Messrs  D.  and  W.  Henderson  &  Co.),  Messrs 
Aitken  &  Mansel,  Messrs  Napier,  Shanks, 
&  Bell,  Messrs  Napier  &  Miller,  Messrs 
Scott  &  Sons,  Messrs  Dunsmuir  &  Jackson, 
Messrs  Napier  Brothers,  Messrs  G.  L.  Wat- 
son &  Co.,  and  others. 

The  work  which  Napier  succeeded  in 
bringing,  and  the  orders  which  were  sub- 
sequently secured  by  the  firms  we  have 
named,  represented  millions  of  money, 
which  brought  bread  and  comfort  to  many 
a  toiling  worker,  and  affluence  to  many  a 
master. 

Robert    Napier,    as    we    have    already 


AN  INSPIRING  MEMORY.         245 

shown,  started  with  no  advantages.  Glas- 
gow was  the  city  of  his  adoption.  He  had 
no  influential  friends  there,  and  his  capital 
was  of  the  most  slender  description.  His 
success  may  be  traced  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  two  great  qualities — industry  and 
civility. 

From  the  day  he  entered  on  his  appren- 
ticeship with  his  father  till  he  reached 
fourscore  his  life  was  a  round  of  unceas- 
ing toil.  When  he  first  started  there  were 
neither  steamers  nor  railways,  and  the  ex- 
posure and  discomfort  attendant  on  long- 
distance travelling  were  most  trying.  He 
inherited  from  his  blacksmith  progenitors 
a  powerful  bodily  frame,  which  stood  him 
in  good  stead  in  those  early  days,  and 
enabled  him  to  endure  the  fatigues  of  his 
arduous  journeys. 

His  mental  activity  exceeded  even  that 
of  his  body.  His  correspondence  was 
most  voluminous,  and  personally  con- 


246  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

ducted.  Business  was  attended  to  at  all 
hours,  and  his  numerous  letters  often 
attest  the  fact  of  being  written  at  night- 
fall. All  through  his  life  he  was  a  man 
of  most  active  habits,  and  he  endeavoured 
constantly  to  keep  himself  abreast  of  the 
times.  Napier,  in  the  words  of  Lord 
Beaconsfi eld,  "  grasped  the  spirit  of  the  age  " 
in  which  he  lived.  True,  he  had  not  the 
brilliant  mechanical  genius  of  his  cousin, 
but  he  did  not  profess  to  be  an  inventor. 
His  success  lay  rather  in  selecting  the 
inventions  of  others,  and  by  patience  and 
industry  adapting  these  to  the  requisite 
needs,  and  bringing  the  result  to  perfec- 
tion. His  own  words  to  Cunard  sum  up 
his  position :  "  Every  solid  and  known 
improvement  that  I  am  acquainted  with 
shall  be  adopted  by  me." 

Mr  Napier  was  a  man  whom  it  was  a 
privilege  to  know  apart  from  his  emi- 
nence in  business.  His  native  dignity  of 


AN  INSPIRING  MEMORY.         247 

deportment,  urbanity,  and  magnanimity  of 
disposition  marked  him  as  one  of  Nature's 
noblemen,  while  his  unfailing  courtesy 
and  generous  consideration  of  others  en- 
deared him  to  those  who  had  occasion  in 
any  way  to  come  into  contact  with  him. 
He  held  to  the  old  conception  of  the  com- 
monwealth that  all  orders  must  work  faith- 
fully together,  and  that  trade  was  to  be 
extended  not  by  cheapness  and  free  mar- 
kets but  by  good  workmanship  ancj  superior 
merit.  Holding  strongly  such  views,  he 
considered  that  combinations  were  undesir- 
able, and  the  position  he  took  up  was 
antagonistic  to  trades'  unions.  His  rela- 
tions with  his  workmen  were  of  the  patri- 
archal order.  Old  servants  were  retained 
to  the  last,  and  those  whose  working 
days  were  over,  he  pensioned.  His  em- 
ployees found  it  a  pleasure  to  serve  him, 
and,  it  may  be  said,  regarded  him  with 
affection  and  veneration. 


248  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

Napier  was  fired  with  ambition  for  noble 
ends.  His  great  aim  in  business  was  to 
turn  out  superlative  work.  Mr  Cunard's 
idea  of  perfection  was  expressed  in  the 
simple  words  of  his  contract,  "  equal  to  the 
best  engines  ever  made  by  the  contractor  "  ; 
and  an  American  engineer,  viewing  the  en- 
gines of  the  Cambria,  remarked  that  "  such 
superbly  finished  machinery  ought  to  be 
put  under  a  glass  case." 

Mr  (afterwards  Sir)  William  Pearce,  in 
bidding  farewell  to  Napier's  men,  said  the 
watchword  of  Govan  yard  had  always  been 
"  Good  Work,"  and  such  questions  as  What 
time  will  this  take?  or  What  will  this 
cost  ?  were  always  subordinated  to  the 
crucial  one — Is  this  the  best? 

If  Napier's  sole  object  had  been  to  accu- 
mulate wealth  he  could  have  amassed  a 
very  large  fortune,  as  there  were  many 
avenues  open  to  him  for  doing  so.  But 
for  money  as  a  possession  he  cared  little, 


AN  INSPIRING  MEMORY.         249 

except  for  the  pleasure  it  afforded  him 
of  spending  and  distributing  it.  While  he 
lived  in  a  princely  style,  he  was  always 
ready  to  assist  in  schemes  of  benevolence ; 
and  being  of  a  modest  disposition,  many 
of  his  good  deeds  were  done  in  secret. 

In  private  life  he  was  one  of  the  most 
genial  and  unassuming  of  men,  gaining 
many  friends  and  never  losing  one ;  and 
no  one  ever  heard  him  speak  an  uncivil 
or  unkind  word.  He  was  of  a  singularly 
equable  temperament,  and  was  always 
ready  to  face  difficulties  with  a  serenity 
and  patience  that  are  seldom  met  with. 

His  demeanour  was  uniformly  that  of 
a  modest,  humble-minded  man,  unaffected 
by  prosperity,  while  at  the  same  time  ex- 
hibiting a  firmness  of  character  and  loft- 
iness of  purpose  that  were  admirable.  His 
mind  was,  further,  of  a  reverent,  thought- 
ful cast,  and  open  to  the  influences  of  a 
sincere,  if  unobtrusive,  piety. 


250  ROBERT  NAPIER. 

In  summing  up  his  life  a  writer  says  : — 

So  far  as  the  Clyde  is  more  particularly 
concerned,  marine  architecture  owes  more  to  Mr 
Napier  than  to  any  one  else.  He  did  much  to 
bring  that  art  to  the  high  degree  of  perfectibility 
it  has  now  attained ;  but  what  is  of  not  less  import- 
ance, he  assisted  in  projecting  those  enterprises  of 
great  pith  and  moment  without  which  it  would 
have  been  impossible  for  the  Clyde  to  have  at- 
tained its  pre-eminence  in  relation  to  the  industry 
with  which  his  name  is  so  intimately  associated. 

Napier's  great  work  was  his  service  to 
the  City  of  Glasgow ;  and  though  not  a 
native,  he  by  his  honourable  career  may 
be  said  to  have  contributed  more  than  any 
of  her  sons  to  give  effect  to  the  proud 
motto — "Let  Glasgow  Flourish." 


APPENDIX   I. 

COPY   OF   ORIGINAL   CONTRACT   FOR  FIRST   CUNARD 
STEAMERS,    18TH    MARCH    1839. 

IT  is  Contracted,  Agreed,  and  Ended  between 
Samuel  Cunard,  Merchant  in  Halifax,  Nova 
Scotia,  and  Robert  Napier,  Engineer  in  Glasgow, 
in  manner  and  to  the  effect  following :  That  is 
to  say,  the  said  Robert  Napier  Binds  and  obliges 
himself  and  his  heirs  executors  and  successors  to 
Build  and  construct  with  the  best  materials,  for 
the  said  Samuel  Cunard,  his  executors,  and 
assignees,  Three  good  and  sufficient  steam-ships, 
each  not  less  than  Two  hundred  feet  long  keel, 
and  fore-rake  not  less  than  Thirty  two  feet  broad 
between  the  paddles,  and  not  less  than  Twenty 
one  feet  six  inches  depth  of  hold  from  top  of 
timbers  to  underside  of  deck  amidships,  properly 
finished  in  every  respect,  having  boats,  masts, 
rigging,  sails,  anchors,  cables,  and  whole  other 
usual  and  necessary  appurtenances  for  the  work- 
ing and  sailing  of  the  said  vessels,  with  cabins 


252  APPENDIX  I. 

finished  in  a  neat  and  comfortable  manner  for 
the  accommodation  of  from  sixty  to  seventy 
passengers,  or  a  greater  number  in  case  the  said 
Robert  Napier  shall  find  that  the  space  will 
conveniently  and  commodiously  admit  thereof, 
each  of  which  vessels  shall  be  fitted  and  finished 
with  two  steam-engines  having  cylinders  seventy 
inches  in  diameter  and  six  feet  six  inches  length 
of  stroke,  with  malleable  iron  boilers,  the  details 
of  which  vessels  and  machinery  shall  be  con- 
structed in  the  manner  mentioned  in  the  specifica- 
tion annexed  and  subscribed  by  the  parties  as 
relative  hereto  declaring  that  the  said  Robert 
Napier  shall  only  be  bound  to  furnish  one  com- 
plete set  or  suit  of  all  things  usual  or  necessary 
for  such  a  size  of  vessels,  but  to  furnish  no 
duplicates  or  spare  stores,  sails,  ropes,  anchors, 
spars,  &c.,  nor  any  thing  belonging  to  the 
steward's  department,  such  as  silver  plate,  china, 
crystal,  knives  and  forks,  napery,  or  other  like 
articles,  nor  arms,  chronometers,  maps,  charts,  or 
other  articles  of  that  description,  which  three 
vessels,  all  to  be  delivered  on  the  Clyde,  the  said 
Robert  Napier  hereby  Binds  and  obliges  himself 
and  his  aforesaid  to  finish  and  complete  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  the  said  Samuel  Cunard 
equal  in  quality  of  hull  and  machinery  to  the 


APPENDIX  L  253 

steamer  Commodore  or  the  steamer  London,  both 
constructed  by  the  said  Robert  Napier,  and  equal 
to  the  City  of  Glasgow  steamer  in  the  finishing 
of  the  cabins,  also  constructed  by  the  said  Robert 
Napier :  and  the  said  Robert  Napier  Binds  and 
obliges  himself  and  his  aforesaid  to  have  one  of 
the  said  vessels  ready  for  trial  and  delivery  in 
the  Clyde  on  or  before  the  Twelfth  day  of  March 
Eighteen  hundred  and  forty ;  to  have  one  of  the 
said  vessels  ready  for  trial  and  delivery  as  afore- 
said on  or  before  the  Twelfth  day  of  April 
Eighteen  hundred  and  forty ;  and  one  of  the  said 
vessels  ready  for  trial  and  delivery  as  aforesaid 
on  or  before  the  first  day  of  May  Eighteen 
hundred  and  forty.  And  further,  the  said  Robert 
Napier  hereby  Binds  and  obliges  himself  and 
his  aforesaid,  in  the  event  of  any  part  of  the 
machinery  in  any  of  the  said  vessels  giving 
way  or  breaking  within  six  months  after  de- 
livery of  the  said  vessels  respectively,  to  re- 
place by  new  machinery  or  to  repair  the 
broken  parts,  unless  such  occurrences  may  have 
arisen  from  neglect  or  carelessness  on  the  part 
of  those  in  charge  of  the  machinery,  in  which  case, 
as  well  as  in  the  case  of  burning  of  the  boilers, 
or  accidents  arising  from  other  causes  over 
which  the  said  Robert  Napier  can  have  no  con- 


254  APPENDIX  I. 

trol,  he  shall  be  in  no  way  responsible.  In 
consideration  of  which,  and  as  the  price  of  the 
said  three  steam  vessels,  the  said  Samuel  Cunard 
Binds  and  obliges  himself  and  his  heirs,  executors, 
and  successors,  to  make  payment  to  the  said 
Robert  Napier  and  his  heirs  or  assignees  of  the 
sum  of  Thirty  two  thousand  pounds  Sterling  for 
each  of  the  said  vessels,  or  Ninety  six  thousand 
pounds  Sterling  for  the  whole  three  vessels,  of 
which  price  Sixty  thousand  pounds  Sterling  shall 
be  payable  in  cash,  or  by  approved  bills  equal 
to  cash,  during  the  progress  of  the  work ;  and 
the  remaining  Thirty  six  thousand  pounds  Sterling, 
being  Twelve  thousand  pounds  Sterling  of  the 
price  of  each  of  the  said  vessels,  at  the  delivery 
of  the  said  vessels  respectively,  as  follows — viz., 
Five  thousand  pounds  Sterling  at  the  execution 
of  these  presents,  Five  thousand  pounds  Sterling 
on  the  Twelfth  day  of  April  next,  and  the  like 
sum  of  Five  thousand  pounds  Sterling  on  the 
Twelfth  day  of  each  of  the  succeeding  months 
of  May,  June,  July,  August,  September,  October, 
November,  and  December,  Eighteen  hundred  and 
thirty  nine,  and  of  January  and  February  Eigh- 
teen hundred  and  forty,  making  together  the 
foresaid  sum  of  Sixty  thousand  pounds  Sterling 
payable  during  the  progress  of  the  work,  upon 


APPENDIX  I.  255 

which  the  said  monthly  payments  shall  cease,  and 
there  will  remain  due  of  the  said  contract  price 
Thirty  six  thousand  pounds  Sterling,  which  the 
said  Samuel  Cunard  Binds  and  obliges  himself 
and  his  aforesaid  to  pay  or  secure  to  the  said 
Kobert  Napier  at  one  and  the  same  time  with 
receiving  delivery  of  the  said  several  vessels  as 
follows :  viz.,  the  sum  of  Twelve  thousand  pounds 
Sterling  at  the  delivery  of  each  of  the  said  vessels, 
and  that  in  approved  bills,  at  six  months  from 
the  date  of  delivery  of  each  vessel  respectively, 
making  up  the  said  balance  of  Thirty  six  thou- 
sand pounds  Sterling;  or,  in  the  option  of  the 
said  Samuel  Cunard,  each  of  the  said  sums  of 
Twelve  thousand  pounds  Sterling  may  be  di- 
vided into  three  approved  bills  of  equal  amount 
payable  at  six,  nine,  and  twelve  months  from 
the  date  of  the  delivery  of  the  said  respective 
vessels ;  but  in  the  event  of  exercising  such 
option,  the  said  Samuel  Cunard  shall  be  bound 
to  include  interest  in  the  said  bills  at  nine  and 
twelve  months  after  the  rate  of  five  per  cent 
per  annum  for  the  period  thereof  to  run  after 
the  lapse  of  six  months  from  the  date  of  delivery 
of  the  said  vessels  respectively  till  payment  of 
the  said  several  bills ;  provided  always  that  it 
shall  be  lawful  to  and  in  the  power  of  the  said 


256  APPENDIX  L 

Samuel  Cunard,  or  any  person  appointed  by  him, 
occasionally  to  visit  the  building  yard  or  yards 
in  which  the  said  vessels  may  be  built,  as  well 
as  the  engineer  work  or  works  in  which  the 
machinery  may  be  constructed,  to  the  effect  and 
for  the  purpose  of  inspecting  the  state  and  con- 
dition of  the  said  vessels  and  machinery,  ascer- 
taining the  sufficiency  of  the  materials  and 
workmanship,  and  seeing  to  the  progress  of 
the  work.  Provided  further,  that  notwithstand- 
ing the  noncompletion  of  the  whole  work,  the 
different  parts  and  portions  of  the  said  vessels 
and  machinery,  by  virtue  of  the  payment 
of  the  instalments  herein  before  mentioned, 
shall  from  time  to  time  be  held  as  specifically 
appropriated  to  and  vested  in  the  said  Samuel 
Cunard,  subject  to  the  right  of  the  said  Robert 
Napier  to  retain  such  parts  and  portions  for  the 
purpose  of  completing  the  work  according  to 
this  agreement,  and  for  his,  the  said  Robert 
Napier,  security  of  the  prices  of  the  said  vessels 
so  far  as  unpaid,  the  said  vessels  always  remain- 
ing at  the  said  Robert  Napier's  risk  until  the 
same  are  respectively  ready  for  delivery  as  afore- 
said ;  after  which  the  same  shall  be  at  the  risk 
of  the  said  Samuel  Cunard.  And  further,  the 
said  Robert  Napier  hereby  Binds  and  obliges 


APPENDIX  I.  257 

himself  and  his  aforesaid  to  have  the  said  several 
vessels  ready  for  trial  and  delivery  on  or  before 
the  days  respectively  hereinbefore  specified,  and 
that  under  the  penalty  of  Five  thousand  pounds 
sterling,  applicable  to  each  of  the  said  vessels, 
unless  the  completion  of  the  same  or  any  of  them 
shall  be  prevented  by  the  destruction  thereof  by 
fire  before  delivery,  or  any  other  cause  which  the 
said  Robert  Napier  cannot  possibly  control,  of 
which  the  arbiter  hereinafter  mentioned  shall, 
in  case  of  difference,  be  sole  judge. 

And  both  parties  bind  and  oblige  themselves 
and  theirs  aforesaid  to  implement,  observe,  and 
fulfil  their  respective  parts  of  the  promises,  as 
well  as  all  decrees-arbitral  to  be  pronounced  in 
virtue  of  the  submission  after  written  each  to 
the  other  in  all  respects  according  to  the  true 
intent  and  meaning  of  these.  And  in  case  any 
question,  dispute,  or  difference  shall  arise  between 
the  said  parties  as  to  the  real  import  of  these 
presents  or  the  execution  and  implement  thereof, 
or  in  any  manner  of  way  in  the  premises  at 
whatever  time  the  same  may  arise,  all  such  dis- 
putes and  differences  shall  be  and  the  same  are 
hereby  submitted  and  referred  to  the  amicable 
decision,  final  sentence,  and  decree-arbitral  of 
James  Coins  Melvill,  Esq.,  Secretary  to  the  East 


258  APPENDIX  1. 

India  Coy.,  whom  failing,  by  non-acceptance, 
death,  or  otherwise,  of  William  Connal,  Esq., 
Merchant  in  Glasgow ;  and  the  decision  of  either 
of  the  said  arbiters  acting  under  this  reference 
shall  be  final  and  conclusive  to  all  intents  and 
purposes.  And  both  parties  consent  to  the  reg- 
istration hereof,  along  with  the  decrees-arbitral, 
interim  or  final,  to  be  pronounced  in  virtue  of 
the  submission  hereinbefore  written  in  the  Books 
of  Council  and  Session,  or  others  competent 
therein,  to  remain  for  preservation,  and  that 
letters  of  horning  on  six  days'  charge  and  all 
other  legal  execution  necessary  may  follow  herein 
in  form  as  effeirs,  and  thereto  constitute 

procurators. 

In  witness  whereof  these  presents,  written 
upon  this  and  the  three  preceding  pages  of 
stamped  paper  by  Robt.  Henderson,  clerk  to 
Moncrieff  &  Paterson,  Writers  in  Glasgow,  are 
subscribed,  along  with  a  duplicate  hereof,  by  Mr 
Samuel  Cunard  and  Robt.  Napier,  before  designed, 
at  Glasgow  the  Eighteenth  day  of  March  Eighteen 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  years ;  before  these  wit- 
nesses— Hugh  Moncrieff,  Writer  in  Glasgow,  and 
the  said  Robert  Henderson,  writer  hereof. 

Hugh  Moncrieff,  witness.  S.  CUNARD. 

Robert  Henderson,  witness.  R.  NAPIER. 


APPENDIX  II. 


PARTICULARS  OF  SOME  OF  THE  LEADING  CONTRACTS 
EXECUTED  BY  MR  NAPIER. 


Date. 

Name. 

Dimensions. 

Tonnage. 

N.H.P. 

Owners. 

1823 

Leven 

80x16 

54 

33 

Messrs  Lang,  Dumbarton. 

1826 

Clarence 

92x16 

70 

45 

Glasgow  owners. 

it 

Helensburgh   . 

90x17 

72 

45 

n 

ti 

Eclipse   . 

99x19 

168 

70 

R.  Napier. 

1830 

Arran  Castle  . 

94xl5£ 

81 

50 

Glasgow  owners. 

ii 

Menai 

120x20 

230 

110 

T.  Assheton  Smith. 

1832 

John  Wood 

120x22^ 

280 

140 

City  of  Glasgow  Co. 

ii 

Robert  Napier 

128  x  23 

310 

180 

Londonderry  Co. 

1833 

Dundee  . 

175x28 

650 

260 

Dundee  and  London  Co. 

1835 

Isabella  Napier 

135x23| 

350 

220 

Londonderry  Co. 

1836 

Berenice  . 

170x28-8 

646 

250 

East  India  Co. 

1837 

Engines  . 

3  Sets 

... 

300 

Turkish  Government. 

ii 

London  . 

190x30 

800 

340 

Dundee  and  London  Co. 

1838 

Fire  King 

180x28 

663 

230 

T.  Assheton  Smith. 

1839 

British  Queen 

245x40-6 

1862 

500 

British  and  American  Co. 

it 

Vesuvius 

Dockyard 

... 

280 

British  Government. 

it 

Stromboli 

Dockyard 

... 

280 

ii 

1840 

Britannia 

206  x  34 

1150 

420 

Cunard  Co. 

ii 

Acadia    . 

206  x  34 

1150 

420 

n 

n 

Columbia 

206  x  34 

1150 

420 

n 

ii 

Caledonia 

206  x  34 

1150 

420 

n 

1841 

Precursor 

230  x  37 

1480 

520 

P.  and  0.  Co. 

1842 

Hibernia 

218x36 

1350 

500 

Cunard  Co. 

ti 

Thunderbolt    . 

Dockyard 

... 

330 

British  Government. 

1843 

Vanguard 

192  x  27 

681 

324 

Glasgow  and  Dublin  Co. 

n 

Dundalk 

180x26 

594 

270 

Dundalk  Co. 

1844 

Cambria  . 

220  x  35 

1350 

500 

Cunard  Co. 

n 

Jackal     . 

147  x  22i 

361 

150 

British  Government. 

ti 

Lizard     . 

147x22| 

361 

150 

n 

ii 

Bloodhound 

154x22| 

395 

150 

ii 

1845 

Fire    Queen    No.    3 

136x18-9 

235 

120 

T.  Assheton  Smith. 

(Screw) 

n 

Engines  . 

4  Sets 

... 

300 

Turkish  Government. 

260 


APPENDIX  II. 


Date. 

Name. 

Dimensions. 

Tonnage. 

N.H.P. 

Owners. 

1845 

Thetis     .         .         . 

194x23 

345 

160 

J.  &  G.  Burns. 

1846 

Tynwald          . 

208  x  26-6 

611 

370 

Isle  of  Man  Co. 

it 

Earl  of  Aberdeen     . 

215x28 

907 

400 

Aberdeen  Co. 

1847 

Lyra 

211x26-6 

494 

275 

J.  &  G.  Burns. 

it 

Satellite 

113x19-6 

231 

80 

Cunard  Co. 

1848 

Thistle   . 

202x27-6 

653 

336 

Londonderry  Co. 

,, 

America  . 

251x38-1 

1756 

670 

Cunard  Co. 

M 

Niagara 

251x38-1 

1756 

670 

n 

ii 

Europa  . 

251x38-1 

1756 

670 

ii 

it 

Canada  . 

251x38-1 

1756 

670 

M 

it 

Dauntless 

Dockyard 

1497 

580 

British  Government. 

1849 

Emperor 

245x32-6 

1256 

400 

Gee  &  Co. 

it 

Bolivia   . 

200  x  27 

705 

260 

Pacific  Co. 

it 

Simoom  . 

259x41-7 

2016 

... 

British  Government. 

1850 

Asia 

268  x  40 

2130 

800 

Cunard  Co. 

ii 

Africa     . 

268  x  40 

2130 

800 

n 

1851 

Santiago 

248  x  30 

1023 

400 

Pacific  Co. 

ii 

Lima 

248  X  30 

1110 

400 

n 

n 

Quito      .         ..':.' 

248  x  30 

1110 

400 

n 

n 

Bogota    .         .         . 

248  x  30 

1110 

400 

n 

n 

Magdalena 

266  x  38 

1850 

800 

Royal  Mail  Co. 

1852 

Sea  Serpent     . 

160x16-6 

213 

100 

T.  Assheton  Smith. 

n 

Miranda 

Dockyard 

1039 

250 

British  Government. 

n 

La  Plata 

285x40-6 

2300 

875 

Royal  Mail  Co. 

n 

Arabia    . 

285x40-6 

2300 

875 

Cunard  Co. 

ii 

Olaf 

Russia 

.  .  . 

400 

Russian  Government. 

1853 

Duke  of  Wellington 

Dockyard 

780 

British  Government. 

M 

Wiborg  . 

Russia 

... 

450 

Russian  Government. 

II 

Colombo 

280x37-3 

1848 

450 

P.  &  0.  Co. 

II 

Emeu 

217x36-6 

1673 

350 

Australian  Co. 

II 

Black  Swan     .        4 

217x36-6 

1673 

350 

... 

1854 

Messina  . 

186x26 

612 

60 

Austrian  Lloyds. 

n 

Malta      .         .  "     . 

186x26 

612 

60 

•  •• 

n 

Transit   . 

Dockyard 

640 

Russian  Government. 

n 

Urgent   . 

Dockyard 

500 

British  Government. 

1855 

Lancefield 

227  x  32 

1142 

300 

Jardine  Mathieson. 

n 

Fiery  Cross     . 

227  x  32 

1142 

300 

... 

it 

Persia     . 

360  x  45 

3586 

850 

Cunard  Co. 

1856 

Gay  wan  Bahi  .      '   . 

Turkey 

650 

Turkish  Government. 

it 

Fethia    . 

Turkey 

... 

650 

... 

ii 

Peiki  Zafir      . 

Turkey 

650 

it 

Napoleon  III. 

171x30 

732 

250 

Canadian  Government. 

n 

Queen  Victoria 

171x30 

732 

250 

n 

Erebus    . 

186x48-6 

1963 

200 

British  Government. 

ii 

Terror     . 

Palmers  Co. 

1963 

200 

1857 

Louis  XIV.     . 

France 

... 

600 

French  Government. 

n 

Tage       . 

France 

... 

600 

• 

ii 

Duguay  Trouin 

France 

... 

600 

i.. 

APPENDIX  II. 


261 


Date. 

Name. 

Dimensions. 

Tonnage. 

N.H.P. 

Owners. 

1857 

Shadia    . 

Turkey 

650 

Turkish  Government. 

ii 

6  Gunboats 

»•• 

... 

... 

East  India  Co. 

ii 

Emperor  Alexander 

Russia 

250 

Russian  Government. 

1858 

Vladimir 

251x31 

1147 

250 

n 

it 

Malta     . 

600 

P.  &  0.  Co. 

n 

Jeddo 

500 

... 

n 

Yacht     . 

188x18-0 

303 

82 

Emperor  of  Burmah. 

1859 

Oleg        . 

251x31 

1147 

250 

Russian  Government. 

ii 

Royal  William 

Dockyard 

... 

500 

British  Government. 

n 

Phoebe    . 

Dockyard 

... 

500 

n 

M 

Shannon 

330x43-9 

3092 

800 

Royal  Mail  Co. 

1860 

Marathon 

336x36-6 

1674 

250 

Cunard  Co. 

M 

Hecla 

336x36-6 

1674 

250 

„ 

II 

18  Gunboats    . 

Dockyard 

... 

British  Government. 

1861 

Black  Prince  . 

380  X  58 

9210 

... 

n 

n 

Scotia     . 

380x47-8 

4050 

1000 

Cunard  Co. 

n 

Neptune 

200x18-6 

344 

100 

Napier  &  Maclntyre. 

n 

Orestes   . 

Dockyard 

400 

British  Government. 

n 

Bristol    . 

Dockyard 

... 

600 

n 

n 

Dryad     . 

Dockyard 

... 

600 

ii 

n 

China 

326x40-4 

2536 

550 

Cunard  Co. 

1862 

Hector 

280  x  56 

6710 

800 

British  Government. 

n 

Ister 

Dockyard 

500 

it 

n 

Rolf  Krake"      . 

185x38 

1246 

235 

Danish  Government. 

1863 

Stirling  Castle 

209  x  34 

1093^ 

D.  Currie  &  Co. 

n 

Warwick  Castle 

209  X  34 

10931 

Sailing 

ii 

H 

Roslin  Castle  . 

203  X  33 

1090  j 

Ships 

M 

n 

Pembroke  Castle 

203  x  33 

1090J 

it 

1864 

Osman  Ghazy 

293  x  56 

6400 

900 

Turkish  Government. 

ii 

Abdul  Aziz 

293  x  56 

6400 

900 

n 

n 

Orkhan  . 

293  x  56 

6400 

900 

it 

1865 

Pereire   . 

356x43-8 

3227 

800 

Compagnie    Gen.    Trans- 

atlantique. 

it 

Ville  de  Paris 

356x43-8 

3227 

800 

M 

1866 

Malabar 

360  x  49 

6213 

700 

Indian  Government. 

n 

Agitator 

Dockyard 

200 

British  Government. 

n 

Dryad     . 

Dockyard 

... 

300 

n 

1867 

Danse 

Dockyard 

350 

n 

n 

Prompt  . 

90x17 

120 

40 

n 

Hasty     . 

90x17 

120 

40 

... 

1868 

De  Buffel 

200  x  40 

2200 

400 

Dutch  Government. 

it 

De  Tijger 

147x44 

1440 

140 

„ 

1869 

Audacious 

280  x  54 

6010 

... 

British  Government. 

n 

Invincible 

280  X  54 

6010 

800 

tt 

1870 

Hotspur 

235  x  50 

4010 

600 

n 

n 

Valdivia 

301x38 

2100 

300 

Pacific  Co. 

„ 

Queen  of  the  Thames 

336  x  38 

2500 

300 

Devitt  &  Moore. 

it 

Rupert  . 

Dockyard 

... 

700 

British  Government. 

262 


APPENDIX  II. 


Date. 

Name. 

Dimensions. 

Tonnage. 

N.H.P. 

Owners. 

1870 
it 

1871 

Yacht  (Paddle) 
Mendez  Nunez, 
Garonne 

165x22 
285  x  38 
382x41-4 

398 
2014 
3088 

90 
380 
530 

King  of  Siam. 
A.  Lopez  &  Co. 
Pacific  Co. 

it 

Bustard  . 

85x26 

244 

28 

British  Government. 

ii 

Kite 

85x26 

244 

28 

n 

1872 

ii 

Edinburgh  Castle    . 
Windsor  Castle 

335x37-7 
335x37-7 

2357 
2357 

270 
270 

D.  Currie  &  Co. 

1873 

Galicia    . 

383  x  43 

3434 

600 

Pacific  Co. 

ii 
ii 

ti 

Modeste  . 
Hugh  Rose 
Goethe    . 

Dockyard 
Dockyard 
375x40 

2987 

350 
350 
600 

British  Government, 
n 
Dutch  Transatlantic  Co. 

n 

Schiller  . 

375  x  40 

2987 

600 

n 

ii 
1874 

Hoboken  (Paddle)   . 
W.  A.  Scholten 

222x22-9 
350  x  38 

582 
2440 

220 
400 

M 

Netherland  American  Co. 

M 

P.  Caland 

350  x  38 

2440 

400 

n 

it 

Arab 

150x28-6 

720 

120 

British  Government. 

it 
n 
ti 
M 
1875 

Lily 
Opal 
Clyde      . 
Meiji  Maru 
Sheldrake 

150x28-6 
Dockyard 
Dockyard 
242  x  29 
125x22-8 

720 

1000 
600 

120 
350 
350 
270 
360 

n 
n 
n 
Japanese  Government. 
British  Government. 

n 

Moorhen          .         . 

125x22-8 

600 

360 

•  •• 

M 
M 

Penguin  . 
Wild  Swan      . 

170x36 
170x36 

1130 
1130 

... 

it 

Dunrobin  Castle 

342x38-3 

2500 

300 

D.  Currie  &  Co. 

M 

Oresund  .         .         » 

Denmark 

... 

40 

Danish  Government. 

it 

Little  Belt       . 

Denmark 

60 

n 

1876 

M 

Ingulf     . 
Canopus  .                  . 
Balmoral  Castle 

Denmark 
101x24 
344x39-4 

250 
2500 

100 
300 

it 
Indian  Government. 
D.  Currie  &  Co. 

n 

Dublin  Castle  . 

344x39-4 

2500 

300 

n 

n 

Warwick  Castle 

349x39-4 

2656 

370 

it 

ii 

n 

Conway  Castle 
Northampton  . 

349x39-4 
280  x  60 

2656 
7630 

370 

ii 
British  Government. 

Mr  Napier  executed  about  four  hundred  separate  contracts, 
which  included  orders  for  machinery  and  warships  from  the 
Danish,  Dutch,  French,  Japanese,  Russian,  and  Turkish  Gov- 
ernments. He  was  entrusted  with  over  sixty  contracts  from 
the  British  Admiralty. 


INDEX. 


Abdul  Aziz,  216. 
Aberdeen,  224. 
Aberdeen  Co.,  87. 
Acadia,  144. 
Acre,  71. 

Admiralty,  46,  69,  207. 
Aimwell,  32,  76. 
Aitken  &  Alansel,  244. 
Alecto,  74. 

Argyll,  Duchess  of,  179. 
Argyll,  Duke  of,  2. 
Arran  Co.,  87. 
Atalanta,  64. 

Bannerman,  A.,  142. 
Bannerman,  H.,  142. 
Banner mann,  J.,  142. 
Barrowfield  Coal  Co.,  59. 
Beardmore,  W.,  214. 
Belfast  steamers,  21,  32,  47,  127. 
Bell,  Henry,  19,  181. 
Bentinck,  Lord  George,  96. 
Berenice,  62,  64,  127. 
Blackfriars  Church,  4,  161. 
Black  Prince,  211-213. 
Bloodhound,  154. 
Bogota,  183. 
Boilers,  75. 
Boyack,  Mr,  30,  49. 
Britannia,  144. 
British  Association,  178. 
British  &  American  Co.,  114. 
British  &  N.  A.  Packet  Co.,  140. 
British  Queen,  116,  137. 


Brock,  Walter,  201. 

Brown  &  Co.,  Sir  John,  88,  244. 

Brown,  W.,  141. 

Browne,  J.,  141. 

Buchanan,  T.,  141. 

Burns,  George,    129,   140,   141,   142, 

193,  196,  202. 
Burns,  James,  129,  141. 
Burns,  J.  &  G.,  129. 
Burrow,  Sir  John,  75. 

Caledonia,  144. 

Cambria,  248. 

Camlachie  Foundry,  17,  20,  29,  59. 

Campbell,  J.,  141. 

Campbell,  J.  Macleod,  178. 

Campbell,  Lome,  177. 

Campbell,  W.,  141. 

Cape  Line,  223. 

Chalmers,  Dr,  35. 

Chapman,  D.,  141. 

China,  221. 

City   of  Glasgow  Co.,   49,  56,   127, 

139. 

Clarence,  24,  37,  218. 
Claude  Gird  wood  &  Co.,  115. 
Clydebank  Co.,  88. 
Clyde  Iron  Works,  3. 
Clyde  Trustees,  84,  212,  243. 
Cochrane,  Sir  T.,  156. 
Coles,  Cowper,  215. 
Collins  Line,  145. 
Columbia,  144. 
Comet,  17,  19,  94. 


264 


INDEX. 


Compagnie  Transatlantique,  222. 

Connal,  W.,  141. 

Crimean  War,  190,  197. 

Cunard  Co.,  49,  120,  192,  222. 

Cunard,  Miss,  146. 

Cunard,  Sir  Samuel,  55,  68,  120,  134, 

246. 

Curling  &  Young,  115. 
Currie,  Sir  Donald,  223. 
Cyclops,  74. 

Dalhousie,  Marquis  of,  176. 

Danish  Government,  214. 

Denmark,  King  of,  232. 

Denny,  Jean,  2. 

Denny,  Robert,  5-8. 

Denny,  William,  150. 

Denny  &  Co.,  201,  244. 

Devastation,  74. 

Devitt  &  Moore,  223. 

De  Buffel,  218. 

De  Tijger,  218. 

Donaldson,  James,  139,  141. 

Downie,  A.,  141. 

Dumbarton,  1,  2,  11,  164,  240. 

Duncan,  G.,  M.P.,  53,  56,  207,  236. 

Dundalk,  152. 

Dundee,  51,  53,  62,  100,  126. 

Dundee  Shipping  Co.,  49,  126. 

Dunsmuir  &  Jackson,  244. 

Dunsmuir,  Hugh,  219. 

Dutch  Transatlantic  Co.,  224. 


East  India  Co.,  57,  127. 

Eclipse,  24,  33. 

Elder,   David,   30,   48,  85,  91, 

236. 

Elder,  John,  183,  185. 
Empress  Eug6nie,  223. 
Erebus,  198. 
Etruria,  188. 
Europa,  94. 
Ewing,  James,  95. 
Ewing,  Jean,  2,  164. 
Ewing,  W.  L.,  141. 

Fairbairn,  Sir  W.,  231. 
Fairneld  Co.,  188,  244. 
Farragut,  Admiral,  220. 
Fire  King,  43. 


Fire  Queen,  42,  44. 
Fletcher,  A.,  141. 
French  Government,  51. 

Geyzer,  74. 
Gibb,  Elias,  141. 
Glasgow,  A.,  141. 
Glasgow  Cathedral,  204. 
Glasgow  University,  206. 
Glenshellish,  27. 
Oloire,  208. 
Glowworm,  42,  127. 
Gore,  R,  M.P.,  73. 
Govan  Yard,  149,  192. 
Gracie,  A.,  189. 
Grant,  Captain,  64. 
Great  Eastern,  25,  92. 
Great  Western,  117,  132. 
Grey  friars  Wynd,  13. 

Halifax,  122,  131. 

Hammermen  Incorporation,  12,  14. 

Harvey,  Sir  George,  236. 

Hastie,  A.,  M.P.,  202,  236. 

Hay,  Lord  John,  157,  158. 

Helensburgh,  37. 

Henderson,  D.  &  W.,  244. 

Henri  Quatre,  21. 

Hinshaw,  R.,  141. 

Hornby,  Admiral,  161. 

Hotspur,  158. 

House  of  Commons,  21,  73,  191,  213. 


'  Ingoldsby  Legends,'  25. 
Inverness  Co.,  126. 
144,     Invincible,  211. 

Isle  of  Man  Co.,  127. 
Isleman,  200. 

Jackal,  154. 
Jamieson,  Dr,  240. 
Jenny  Lind,  42. 
Just,  Wm.,  183. 

Kelvin,  Lord,  199,  231. 
Kerr,  A.,  141. 
Kerr,  Professor,  169. 
Kidston  &  Sons,  W.,  124. 
King  Edward  VII.,  223. 
Kirk,  Dr  A.  C.,  188,  224. 


INDEX. 


265 


Laird,  M'Gregor,  114. 
Lancefield,  22,  82,  84,  129,  183. 
Lang  &  Sons,  W.,  12. 
Langs,  31. 
Lardner,  Dr,  102. 
Laurie  Fogo,  180,  240. 
Legion  of  Honour,  222. 
Leven,  32. 
Lima,  183. 
Livingstone,  Dr,  216. 
Lizard,  154. 
London,  55,  124,  126. 
London  &  Glasgow  Co.,  244. 
Londonderry  Co.,  49,  127. 
London  Exhibition,  231. 
Louise,  H.R.H.  Princess,  230. 
Lushington,  Professor,  213. 

M' Arthur,  38. 

M'Auslan,  A.,  141. 

MacConnell,  A.,  141. 

M'Culloch,  Sir  H.,  53. 

Macgregor,  John,  22. 

M'Intyre,  John,  88,  95. 

M'Intyre,  James,  88. 

Maclver,  C.,  141,  142,  193. 

Maclver,  D.,  50,  139,  141. 

Malabar,  223. 

Martin,  J.,  141. 

Mathieson,  Dr,  164. 

Maudslay,  16,  34,  69,  117,  188. 

Measured  Mile,  226. 

Mechanical  Engineers,  231. 

Melvill,  Canon,  163,  236. 

Melvill,  Sir  James,  68,  123,  133,  207, 

236. 

Menai,  42,  127. 
Merry,  James,  141. 
Muirkirk  Iron  Works,  59,  96. 

Napier  Brothers,  244. 

Napier,  David,  15,  33,  90. 

Napier,  D.,  of  Glenshellish,   17,  18, 

29,  38,  236. 

Napier,  James,  2,  77,  89,  237. 
Napier,  James,  sen.,  2,  7,  9,  164. 
Napier,    James   R.,    151,    183,    198, 

238. 

Napier,  James  S.,  183,  201,  237. 
Napier,  J.  &  W.,  89. 


Napier,  John,  44,  183,  201,  215. 

Napier,  John,  sen.,  2,  16,  19. 

Napier  &  Ettrick,  230. 

Napier  &  Miller,  244. 

Napier,  Dr  Peter,  2,  4,  36,  163. 

Napier,  Shanks,  &  Bell,  244. 

Napier  &  Sons,  R.,  190,  215. 

Napier,  Robert,  birth,  3 — apprentice- 
ship, 5 — goes  to  Edinburgh,  12 — 
starts  in  Glasgow,  13 — becomes 
Deacon  of  Hammermen,  16 — mar- 
riage, 17 — rents  Camlachie  Foun- 
dry, 29 — engages  David  Elder,  30 
— makes  first  marine  engine,  32 — 
interviews  Maudslay,  34 — letter 
from  Dr  Chalmers,  35  —  wins 
Northern  Yacht  Club  prize,  37 — 
meets  Assheton  Smith,  40 — builds 
first  steam  yacht,  42 — intimacy 
with  Mr  Smith,  46 — starts  Vulcan 
Foundry,  48 — founds  steam  packet 
companies,  49 — builds  Dundee,  52 
— result,  55 — writes  George  Dun- 
can, 56 — introduction  to  East  India 
Co.,  62 — Berenice,  66 — friendship 
with  James  Melvill,  68 — contracts 
for  Admiralty  engines,  70 — gains 
Admiralty's  confidence,  74 — report 
on  boiler  question,  75 — acquires 
Lancefield,  82  —  defeats  Clyde 
Trustees,  85  —  engages  James 
Thomson,  86  —  intimacy  with 
James  Napier,  90 — founds  John 
Reid  &  Co.,  95 — takes  shares  in 
Muirkirk,  95 — Lord  George  Ben- 
tinck's  letter,  96 — states  his  views 
on  Atlantic  navigation  to  Patrick 
Wallace,  102  —  engines  British 
Queen,  116  —  negotiations  with 
Cunard,  124 — first  meeting  with 
Cunard,  129 — fixes  contract,  133 — 
writes  Melvill,  133 — Cunard  con- 
sults him,  134 — promises  assist- 
ance, 139 — sounds  Donaldson,  ib. 
— proposes  agency  to  George  Burns, 
141 — successful  formation  of  Cun- 
ard Co.,  142 — supplies  steamers, 
144 — friendship  with  Cunard,  146 
— starts  iron  shipbuilding  at  Govan, 
150 — engages  William  Denny,  151 


S 


266 


INDEX. 


— iron  steamers  for  Admiralty,  154 
— Simoom,  155  —  intimacy  with 
naval  officers,  157 — resides  per- 
manently at  Shandon,  165 — re- 
builds Shandon,  167 — hospitality, 
171 — Marquis  of  Dalhousie,  176 — 
entertains  British  Association,  178 
— erects  statue  to  Henry  Bell,  181 
— ideas  for  future  of  business,  182 
— difficulty  with  Pacific  Co.,  183 
— forms  R.  Napier  &  Sons,  190 — 
Crimean  War,  ib. — contracts  for 
Persia,  192— builds  Erebus,  198 
—  Western  Bank,  202 — Glasgow 
Cathedral,  203 — University,  ib. — 
letter  from  Sir  James  Melvill,  207 
— consulted  by  Admiralty,  209 — 
undertakes  Black  Prince,  211 — 
difficulties,  212 — orders  from  for- 
eign Governments,  215  —  letter 
from  Livingstone,  216  —  builds 
Neptune,  218 — presented  to  Em- 
press Euge'nie,  223  —  order  for 
Malabar,  ib. — inception  of  Castle 
Line,  ib. — Australian  Line,  224 — 
practical  retiral,  225 — last  public 
appearance,  229 — entertains  Prin- 
cess Louise,  230 — honours,  231 — 
celebrates  golden  wedding,  234 — 
loss  of  friends,  236 — death  of  Mrs 
Napier,  237 — last  illness  and  death, 
238. 

Napier,  Mrs  R.,  16,  234,  237. 

Napoleon  III.,  208. 

Naval  officers,  158. 

Neptune,  45,  218. 

Newell,  Captain,  150. 

Nicolson,  Peter,  19. 

Northern  Yacht  Club,  36,  39. 

Ommanney,  Admiral,  71. 
Ophir,  189. 
Orkhan,  216. 
Orr,  Sir  A.,  203. 
Osman  Ghazy,  216. 

Pacific  Co.,  148,  183,  186,  224. 
Parisian,  189. 
Parkhead  Forge,  214. 
Parnell,  Sir  H.,  57,  61. 


Parry,  Sir  E.,  153. 

Peacock,  Mr,  63. 

Pearce,  Sir  W.,  187,  201,  248. 

P.  &  O.  Co.,  148. 

Penn,  John,  231. 

Pereire,  222. 

Persia,  192,  195. 

Perth,  51. 

Pillans,  Professor,  178. 

Polyphemus,  74. 

Precursor,  148. 

President,  119,  137. 

Prince     of     Wales,     H.R.H.,      189, 

223. 
Prometheus,  74. 

Queen  of  the  Thames,  223. 
Queen  Victoria,  203. 
Quito,  183. 

Randolph,  Charles,  187. 

Reed,  Sir  E.  J.,  223. 

Reid,  A.,  3,  95. 

Reid  &  Co.,  John,  95. 

Rigby,  Wm.,  183,  214,  236. 

Robb,  Captain,  160. 

Rob  Roy,  21,  33. 

Robinson,  J.  C.,  172. 

Robinson,  Sir  Spencer,  162,  235. 

Rochead,  Mr,  167. 

Rodger,  R.,  141. 

RolfKrake,  215. 

Row  Church,  181. 

Royal  Mail  Co.,  148. 

Royal  Philosophical  Society,  19. 

Royal  Yacht  Squadron,  39. 

Royal  William,  76,  101,  122. 

Russell,  Lord  John,  177. 

Russian  Government,  190,  191. 

Santiago,  183-185. 
Savannah,  101. 
Scotia,  221. 
Scott,  D.,  141. 
Scott,  Russell,  43,  92. 
Scott  &  Sons,  244. 
Sea  Serpent,  42. 
Seaward,  69. 
Serapis,  223. 
Shanks,  A.,  201. 


INDEX. 


267 


Shepherd,  J.  W.,  188. 
Simoom,  155. 
Sirius,  122. 

Smith,  T.  A.,  40,  62,  236. 
Smith  &  Rodgers,  244. 
Sommerville,  Dr,  35. 
St  Andrew,  32. 
Steeple  engines,  22. 
Stevenson,  Robert,  12. 
Stirling,  Wm.,  141. 
Stromboli,  70,  74. 
Surface  condensers,  22. 
Swallow  Foundry,  89. 
Swan  Tavern,  16. 
Symonds,  Sir  W.,  73. 

Tank  experiments,  21. 

Thompson  &  Co.,  G.,  224. 

Thomson,  George,  87. 

Thomson,  James,  86. 

Thomson,  Robert,  194. 

Thomson,  Sir  W.,  231. 

Thomson  &  MacConnell,  139. 

Tod,  David,  22. 

Tod  &  Macgregor,  22,  244. 

Trail,  Mr,  4,  11. 

Transit,  192. 

Turbines,  23. 

Turkish  Government,  216. 


Tweeddale,  Marquis  of,  157. 
Twin  screws,  22. 

Umbria,  188. 
United  Kingdom,  22. 
Urgent,  191. 

Vanguard,  151. 

Vesuvius,  70,  74. 

Vide  de  Paris,  222. 

Vulcan,  127,  178. 

Vulcan  Foundry,  38,  48,  59,  183. 

Wallace,  Patrick,  101. 
Warrior,  211. 
Washita,  219. 
Watson  &  Co.,  G.  L.,  244. 
Watt,  James,  69,  207. 
Weaver  Street,  16,  234. 
Wellington,  Duke  of,  45. 
Western  Bank,  201. 
West  Shandon,  56,  166. 
Whitevale,  29. 
Whitworth,  Sir  J.,  231. 
Wilkes,  Admiral,  219. 
Wilkin,  Graham,  236. 
Wood,  John,  93,  148,  236. 
Wood,  John,  127. 
Wright,  James,  141. 


PRINTED   BY   WILLIAM    BLACKWOOD  AND  SONS. 


UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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